Tit-for-tat: Taliban mock Malik
Call upon govt to replace Rehman Malik with a ‘serious person’.
A file photo of Interior Minister Rehman Malik. PHOTO: PID
ISLAMABAD:
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.
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.