Malik urged Mehsud to come out of hiding and confess all his terrorist activities before the people of Pakistan. PHOTO: FILE
In a letter sent by TTP spokesman Amir Muawiya, the banned outfit outlined conditions for a ceasefire, which include the adoption of the Shariah and breaking off ties with the United States. TTP also demanded Pakistan stop its involvement in the war pitting Afghan insurgents against the Kabul government and refocus on a war of ‘revenge’ against India.
The ceasefire conditions were confirmed by TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan. In a phone call to Reuters, he said Pakistan should rewrite its laws and constitution according to the Shariah.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has rejected any offer of a ceasefire unless it comes from the TTP leader himself. “I reject all these offers, and any future claims, of Ehsanullah Ehsan, unless and until Hakeemullah Mehsud owns them himself.”
Talking to journalists at Sukkur Airport before leaving for Garhi Khuda Bux, he urged Mehsud to come out of hiding and confess all his terrorist activities before the people of Pakistan.
A second government official, who asked not to be identified, dismissed the ceasefire proposal as “preposterous”.
“They are a bunch of criminals. This is not the Afghan Taliban. They are not open to talks,” the official said.
“No one can take such an offer or terms seriously. The TTP is not a proper entity, certainly not one any government can negotiate with.”
TTP’s demands
In his comments, Ehsan said TTP was ready to abide by a ceasefire “as long as they (the government) meet our demands, put an Islamic system into place, fix their foreign policy and stop agreeing to America’s demands.”
The militants accused Pakistan’s army of acting as “mercenaries” for America and pledged to continue attacks on two major political parties they say serve US interests. “The big mistake (the government) made is that they fought America’s war in Afghanistan and brought it into Pakistan,” Ehsan said, adding “We do not accept Pakistan’s present secular and pro-West system and its constitution.”
“We also oppose Pakistan’s pro-West foreign policy and if the government wants us to announce a ceasefire, it will have to accept all our demands.”
(WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN SUKKUR)
Published in The Express Tribune, December 28th, 2012.
COMMENTS (12)
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this is off-course a bluff, especially when Taliban could not achieve their terror targets in the urban Pakistan and in this course their network has been badly exposed. Secondly they have lost all the moral authority in recent days so they are taking resort to Sharia which they themselves don't know a thing about, I bet...
@Paki .. Well said.
If we accept their demands it means that we will consider them a proper entity, as a result handful insurgents will consider themselve a strong power which made the government to bow his head before them, and they will try to create their dominancy by exploiting rule of law.
These murdererous thugs are talking about imposition of Sharia in Pakistan after brutally killing our civilians and armymen! What a joke!
"WITH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT IN SUKKUR" wht? how? why?
Is that A2 or M16A1 ?
Berche :D masha'allah wonderful. May Allah reward you to jannah. Sometimes we muslim don't understand how our brothers and sisters are living while seeing opressed espacially our muslims sisters. Around the world people are killing them and many thing els has happened. Insha'allah we muslim in west will what ever we can for you all can leave in peace and we will never forget you. Because we came from all muslims countryies.
These demands are nothing more than propaganda to confuse and disturb the already confused Pak people. Our rightist tv anchors will pick up on this, and repeat this again and again.
Which Sharia allows beheading of prisoners and posting videos?
Which Sharia allows murderous attacks on religious opponents?
Which Sharia allows bombings on women's markets, destruction of schools and murderous attacks on small schoolgirls?
Many groups advocate Sharia, and this is nothing new. This demand has been used by political groups to exploit the sentiments of the average Muslim on the street. It is the worst form of political expediency. An example, the aim was to de-stabilize or overthrow the govt. of ZAB, the agitation used the same demands to mobilize the people out into the streets against the PPP govt the 1970s.
Pakistan has many schools of religious thought, their interpretation of Sharia is very different, so has anyone even thought or considered which Sharia will be enforced, and how the other groups will react? It can only lead to even more disorder and fighting.
All these issues were settled in Europe after centuries of bloodshed. It was found that the only solution was to separate the Church from the State.
Pakistan has a 97% Muslim majority, Islam is never going to be in danger in this country. So why are we so insecure that the only solution we can think up of is to repeat the mistakes of others by involving the state in religion? What problems will improve as we steadily head towards becoming a Salafist state, in a perpetual state of war with the rest of the world?
@Sabi: Is bringing sharia a shame?? We are against TTP, not against sharia. If u r so much against sharia, go and live in india. People like you fail to realize that our dear Quaid also wanted an "Islamic" Pakistan !
How many times have the TTP fooled Pakistan into peace deals, only to go back on their word and carry on with violence and bloodshed, killing school children, and preventing health care?
How many more times will they promise peace, and them continue with violence?
Enough is enough! Down with the TTP!
We are not ready to accept amir Maeoya's shariah, infect Muhammad(PBUH) shairah is acceptible...!
"unless it was authenticated by the outlawed group’s leadership itself." So in that case govt is willing to bring sharia.Shame.