The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Monday announced that the interim Afghan government-backed talks between the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had formally begun with both sides agreeing to a complete ceasefire.
“The ceasefire agreement between the Pakistan government and the TTP movement will run for one month, with an option to extend if both sides agree,” the TTP said in a statement.
It said the ceasefire would begin on Tuesday and run until Dec 9 unless both sides agreed to an extension. “It would apply to both sides equally.”
Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain confirmed that negotiations between the government and the TTP are being held under the Constitution and law of the land, saying that both sides have agreed to a ceasefire during the talks, which are being facilitated by the interim Afghan government
“Under the agreement, the government of Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan have agreed upon a complete ceasefire,” the government spokesperson quoted Prime Minister Imran Khan as saying while talking to a foreign television.
“The Afghan authority, which is the interim government, has played the role of a facilitator in the talks,” the information minister said, adding that the ceasefire agreement between the government and the TTP could be extended keeping in view the progress of negotiations.
The confirmation about negotiations came after PM Imran’s October 1 interview to TRT World wherein he had revealed that Pakistan was in talks with some factions of the TTP to get them to lay down their weapons. “I think some of the Pakistani Taliban groups actually want to talk to our government … for some peace, for some reconciliation,” PM Imran said during the interview.
On Monday, the information minister while announcing a “complete ceasefire” said that the negotiations with the TTP were under way and would be carried out in accordance with the Constitution and law of the land. The minister said, “Obviously, no government can hold such negotiations which contravene the Constitution and law of Pakistan.”
In the negotiations, Fawad said, writ of the state, matter related to national security, peace in relevant areas and socio-economic stability would definitely be taken into account. He said that the persons affected due to the TTP’s presence in different areas would not be ignored during the talks, adding that they were also being taken into confidence.
While welcoming the talks, Fawad said that it was certainly a positive move after a hiatus hoping that complete peace would eventually return to those areas which were affected due to the TTP’s presence.
Read More: Taliban promise military action if TTP talks fail
In his interview, the prime minister had revealed that talks were ongoing with some of the TTP groups, saying that the Afghan Taliban were “helping” in the sense that the talks were taking place in Afghanistan.
The premier had said that the talks for disarmament, if successful, would lead to the government “forgiving” the TTP factions, “and then they [will] become normal citizens”.
The premier had expected that some sort of deal would emerge after the talks with TTP, saying he did not believe in military solutions. “I am anti-military solutions. So, I always believe that you know, as a politician, political dialogue is the way forward, which I always believed was the case in Afghanistan with the US.”
Reportedly, it was the Afghan government’s proposal of arranging talks between Pakistan and the TTP. They not just gave the proposal but also offered Pakistan their good offices to initiate talks with the TTP and its affiliates.
Also read: TTP demands prisoner release as condition for talks with govt
The surprising element of the talks is reported to be the interim Afghan government’s promise that it would take military action against the groups that were not willing to reconcile.
Days after reaching a “secret” agreement with the banned TLP, the government has begun reaching out to the TTP in a renewed push to convince the proscribed group to renounce violence possibly in return for amnesty for its members from criminal prosecution.
The formal confirmation of the talks with TTP came in the backdrop of Afghan Taliban's takeover of Kabul in mid-August; ending a 20-year US-war in Afghanistan but leaving the country in turmoil, which might lead to instability in the region.
On the one hand, Pakistan is continuously urging the international community to support the newly formed government in Afghanistan in a bid to avert a humanitarian crisis while, on the other, the Afghan government has pushed the TTP groups into sitting with Pakistan so that peace could return to Pakistan.
Before PM Imran acknowledged talks between Pakistan and the TTP, President Arif Alvi had hinted at the subject when he suggested that the government could consider granting amnesty to members of the banned TTP, which was followed by the foreign minister’s statement that the government was open to the possibility.
With Kabul’s fall and the US’ exit, the disarmament talks with some factions of the TTP were pushed further as the government wanted stability in the country in the backdrop of a fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan.
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