A file photo of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. PHOTO: PID
Mocking Interior Minister Rehman Malik as a ‘comedian’, a group responsible for most violence in the country has called upon the government to replace him with a ‘serious person’ for peace dialogue.
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson, Ehsanullah Ehsan, said on Sunday that his ultraorthodox militia did not take Malik’s statements seriously.
“Our Central Shura (consultative council) believes that if Rehman Malik keeps on churning out statements about our offer, it’ll indicate the government is not serious in pursuing peace talks,” Ehsan told The Express Tribune in a telephone interview.
The interior minister said on Saturday that whenever the Taliban become weak they talk about peace dialogue. He asked the group to name a team of ‘serious negotiators’ if they wanted to make peace.
“If the government replaces Rehman Malik with a serious person to deal with the dialogue issue, we will come up with an immediate, positive and civilised response in the best interests of Pakistan and its people,” Ehsan said.
Comparing Malik with a Pashto comedian, Ismail Shahid, the TTP spokesperson said he has been stopped from commenting on Malik’s statements because the Taliban and “even many in Pakistan don’t trust him (Malik)”.
Ahsan refused to comment on the upcoming all-party conference convened by JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman later this month to discuss the peace prospects in the tribal regions.
He evaded a question about the possibility of a role for tribal elders in the peace process. “The Taliban are fighting for the existence of the tribal people as many tribesmen have been killed and displaced [by fighting in the region] and now they should have a better life,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2013.
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Pakistan slowly becoming another afghanistan,good progress.....
I know many will find it useless to have a talk with ttp but something is better than nothing. Government has failed completely to stop terrorism. It should not let this chance to go. Have a talk who knows what comes out of it?
agree with them on this issue. he is really comedian.
@Tufan Agha: watching movies is not good thing
I am of the view that whole Nation will agree to this particular statement of Taliban
@SK: What sick mind; leave a Malik. How can someone give weight to Taliban.
A Peshawary
Interior Minister of any country always be a serious and competent person but unfortunately our Interior Minister has lost his credibility by his actions.
we will come up with an immediate, positive and civilised response in the best interests of Pakistan and its people”, said Ehsan. He tried to be more funny than Rehman Malik. I thought this is the funniest statement of the century "civilised response" hahahaha
"...we will come up with an immediate, positive and civilised response in the best interests of Pakistan and its people", said Ehsan.
Civilised response? In the best interests of Pakistan and its people? From the taliban? Surely, he's the one making the jokes.
Unfortuantely.... I would give more credit to Taliban's statement here than our interior minister
civilised response in the best interests of Pakistan and its people,” Ehsan said.
Makes me laugh. And civilized response would be no more ruthless killings and beheadings of civilians for 10 days
The brighter side of TTP statement is that they watch Pashto Movies and appreciates Pashto movies comedian, Ismail Shahid or atleast know him well.
lol.....even though they have killed 100s of 1000s of people they still have a sense of humor and they were right in saying rehman malik is a comedian ...but he is their interior minister....lol
not only taliban, the whole nation mocks rehman malik....