We will welcome unilaterally ceasefire offer of Taliban, says Malik

We will talk to TTP when they put down the arms, says Malik.

QUETTA: Interior Minister Rehman Malik has welcomed the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan's announcement of ceasefire and said it would bring peace in the country while talking to media on Tuesday night.

"I have no formal information about Taliban's ceasefire announcement and offer, however, we will welcome unilaterally ceasefire offer of Taliban," Malik said adding that Taliban would have to lay down their weapons if they are sincere in ceasefire and for peace talks.

Balochistan unrest

Referring to ambush on Frontier Corps in Chamalang area on Monday in which a Major and 13 other personnel embraced martyrdom, he said that he strongly condemned the attack adding that it was proof that the enemies of Pakistan had been working in Balochistan to destabilise our country. He said that no operation would be carried out in Balochistan adding that however, stern action would be taken against elements found involved in attacking and killing personnel of FC and police.

He said that his ministry did not issue a statement to the media that Chinese engineers had been killed in bomb blast in Balochistan. He added that Chinese engineers were safe and they were being provided complete security and protection in the country.

Staying on Balochistan Malik said he respects Senator Nawabzada Lashkari Raisani and he had no objection if Mr Raisani held peace talks with angry Baloch nationalists. "It was Shaheed Benazir Bhutto who introduced Mr Raisani to me and we acknowledge his services for the party and the province," he said. He said that he would fully support and endorse if Nawabzada Raisani hold peace dialogues with angry Baloch nationalists adding that however, the nationalists would have to lay down their arms before the peace talks.

Memogate controversy

In an answer to a query, he said that Hussain Haqqani had been called in and "Memo issue" was being investigated. He appealed to the media to wait for the results of the probe. He said that Memo was an engineered plan adding that no compromise would be made on the security of the country.

Malik said that Pakistan had offered Afghanistan full cooperation and collaboration in connection with probe into the killing of Afghanistan's former president Prof Burhanuddin Rabbani.