A file photo of Taliban fighters. PHOTO: AFP / FILE
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the outlawed umbrella of militant groups blamed for most violence in the country, said late Wednesday that they do not rule out a ‘ceasefire’ if the new government ‘shows seriousness’ to their dialogue offer.
The ultraconservative group had also offered ‘conditional dialogue’ to the previous ruling coalition in February only to withdraw it after they did not receive a ‘positive’ response.
Now, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan says if the incoming government takes the Taliban talks offer seriously, his group will also come up with a positive response.
“If they [the new government] takes our dialogue offer seriously and makes some progress, then we could also stop attacks,” Ehsan told The Express Tribune by the phone from undisclosed location.
The incoming prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, said this week that the Taliban’s offer for dialogue would be taken seriously. “We have seen Nawaz Sharif’s reported remarks and respect his statement about our dialogue offer,” Ehsan said.
“I would reiterate that we are serious in our dialogue offer but the outgoing rulers had adopted a non-serious approach,” he added. “The TTP does not declare a ceasefire now and any such decision would depend on the new government’s approach.”
The TTP spokesman further said, “I cannot say now that we are stopping attacks but there could be a possibility of stopping attacks as a goodwill gesture once the new government takes some serious steps.”
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2013.
COMMENTS (37)
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BTW i also think that taliban are really rattled now cos they r desperately pursuing dialogues. It needs discrenment to decide if its the time to hit hard or fininsh them through dialogue
Ok these r the terms: 1. Lay down arms. 2. No imposition of sharia. 3. No territory given to them to govern. 4. They are quarantined and put under watch. (In that case they can be spared their lives)
These are acceptable terms i think.
Why can't their convenient telephone interviews be traced? And who do they call for their interviews?
@speakthetruth: You say that " TTP are internationally funded ", but then you forgot to tell us just WHO is funding them!! Please tell us more, and how you are so sure!
at the end of the day... it always leads to negotiation table... there is no alternative but to talk...those who oppose ant talk with terrorists are commenting from safe houses with fake names and with an assurance for not getting hurt.and offcourse opposers to talks are equally responsible for present state...after all.... AN EYE FOR AN EYE.. only make it to junglelaw
@MAK: preach this to US who are more than willing to make a deal...
Pakistan new leadership has no other choice but to appease-- a dialogu and reconciliation. No more cavalier style bravado; they have cut out ANP and supported those who seel dialogue. Make sure that the Pashto speaking members are sent by the Government to arrange peace and cessation of violence..
Rex Minor
oh common... for god's sake stop this nonsense.... everytime this guy 'Ehsanullah Ehsan' is on the phone and sharing his views and no one traces or even tries to catch him... y is so much attention given it to him... its so obvious, instructions are given it to him and he's nobody... if they want to catch him they will and they can but it seems like no one is interested in catching him
Bunch of cowards we are judging by the comments here. Would I negotiate and make concessions and compromises with someone who ruthlessly murders my family? Shoots children in the head? And threatens me further? Could I sit on a table with such a person and smile and eat chai and biscoot?
Disgusting.
And if my response is emotional then lets get rational. What would this dialogue look like exactly? What are their demands? Does anyone here imagine that it would be something even remotely reasonable? These people are probably looking for a windfall to be able to re-group and strengthen their numbers. It would be idiotic to give them any space/opportunity.
@janaan: It's not a question of 'having a big heart' or something, we're not decent bro. It's just that we Pakistanis have become such apathetic crowd of idiots that we no longer feel the pain of our brethren. But if it's our own kin who's being killed, only then we cry foul.
It's quite amazing seeing sheeple chanting 'Alhamdulillah' on this news item. If these animals would've killed your own kin, I'm sure you would be having a different take on this. As some sane people here said, there is no question of negotiation with terrorists, PERIOD!
i feel sorry for pakistan, for pakistanis have such a big heart that they are willing to forgive the animals who cut the throats of their own security officials and killed more than 40,000 pakistanis.history will not forgive this generation who compromised with a bunch of thugs who not only defamed islam but set the records of barbarity in modern times. i am a pukhtun as well and it is in my blood to take revenge for all the atrocities.EYE for an EYE, blood for blood.
we need to take the words of army chief seriously and end this drama by going in NWA which is infested with chechen, uzbek, afghanis, TTP and other animals.
all those in favour of talks, tell me what will be the terms of negotiations.
-let TTP rule NWA.what is the fault of tribals living their. -let these terrorists flourish in NWA -let parallel militant group govern a part of Pakistan.against article 256 of constitution -disrespect the martyred soldeirs and their sacrifices -TTP does not accept the constitution, so let it be a status quo beacuse our politicians are afraid of them.
May the allmighty bring wrath and destruction on these thugs
After failing to stop the elections through violence and intimidation, they are offering a ceasefire!
@Omer: 'Finish them like Tamils were eradicated in Sri Lanka.'
Correction ==> Tamil is an ethnicity like Pashtuns, Punjabis,Sindhis etc etc . In Sri Lanka, It was the LTTE (NOT the tamils) who were eradicated.
Approach the talks with an open mind.
Make sure the Police is independent, from here on out no outlaws will be tolerated. We don't have to call them 'terrorists' and sensationalize them. Let's deal with every citizen with the same strong arm of the law. If you are out of line, you land in the prison.
We had already tried negotiating with these beasts in Sawat, which eventually failed and then had to launch operation clean up. They must be dealt only with force because they are foreign funded/equipped agents. They can never think of Pakistan interest as first. Drones are the best treatment for them. Finish them like Tamils were eradicated in Sri Lanka.
we detest Talibans . Get out of our country .This is our home not yours !
Actually the previous government established a peace deal with the TTP in Swat 5 years ago, and the TTP broke the deal.
After breaking their promises and killing thousands of Pakistanis, they now have conditions.
Lets be clear what they want: the complete enforcement of their way of life for the WHOLE of Pakistan. No exceptions.
We have to be honest with ourselves what we want.
No Dialogue with brutes who bomb our children and their schools!
@Andaleeb: During the last 8 years, many operations and frequent drone attacks haven't got us any solid results.. The Americans are negotiating with the Taliban in Afghanistan.. Why can't we?
Yes why not - what cannot be cured needs to be enduerd. Since the T is not showing any signs of abating , lets call them to join the mainstream. At least the killings on both sides will reduce ( if not stop fully ).
@Riaz Ahmad:
Not true. U.S didn't sit down and talked with Alqaeda or Usama. England forced the IRA to sit down and talk or face military action. Sri Lanka decimated the Tamil Tigers. So yes, negotiate with groups who are willing to renounce violence and accept state's writ, but military is also a part of the solution. This negotiation non sense with the Taliban has never worked. I remember they made the same offer 5 years ago, but it didn't work.
Will have to hold atleast one round of talks.
Hoax. TTP are internationally funded and their offer has the backing. It is a clever way to make the state and the government hostage to their demands!
How do you negotiate with a party you don't trust. They've broken pacts, promises and accords before and they'll do it again until they get their twisted, archaic and incorrect version of "sharia" in-force and even then they'll find something else to make noise about. No.
The concerted drone attacks have decimated the leadership of the Taliban and what they are seeking is time to recover and bolster their resources. Now is the time to strike and strike hard at the leadership. Here's a golden chance to finish them off forever.
but what are the conditions of ttp for cease fire? What will be discussed in dialouges? Will they enforce sharia on us?
@omaidus: The Turkish government tried guns and failed, negotiations have brought KPK campaign to an end. UK tried the gun but failed, only negotiations brought the IRA campaign to an end. USA tried the gun for eleven years and failed, now they want to talk to the Taliban. What is the lesson for Pakistan? The answer is very obvious.
Alhumdullilah. I detest them so much but if this gets them to stop killing my brother Pushtuns, then i will welcome that
no ceasefire with terrorists.
Dear Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, Please take this offer from Taliban very seriously. Don't just stick with emotional rhetoric of calling them terrorists and not negotiating with people who challenge the writ of the GoP. Allow the neutral and poise Ulema-e-Kiram (NOT someone like Fazul Rehman) to mediate. The Taliban will preferably listen to them and could compromise on some of their agenda points and in return, you would also have to compromise to some extent on your foreign policy. We are better off without as good relationship with the US that comes at the cost of our and our children lives. I have been so much disappointed and hopeless that now I have decided to send my family abroad. Dear Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, please make me change my mind and let me stay in this beautiful country with my own people. I would have never thought about leaving this country if only I and my family felt safe here. We don't want jobs we don't want motorways, we don't want cheap bread and we don't want airports - we want peace, I say it again; WE WANT PEACE! I love Karachi and you have no idea how much I hate leaving this city and this country.
Taliban has started their game rightly after elections, before the newly elected Govt can understand the ground realities. Through this they will give them less time to think and after some lapse of time, Taliban will start striking elected people, as has been done in the past.
This drama is playing exactly according to the script.
Thanks God !!
This would be the first visionary and difficult step especially for PMLN and PTI to start dialogue process with TTP instead of the establishment or agencies have always been rule out such option and had enforced the previous Govt. either Federal (PPP) or KP (ANP) to avoid such process and enforce to supress them. The previous setup has always been reported for the violation of negotiation process that had helped in extending this issue yet. Seriously dialogue process will definitely resolve this issue and settlement of the peace.
Positive measures..