File photo of Maulana Samiul Haq. PHOTO: INP
Haq, in a telephonic interview on Express News, stated that, “Whenever peace talks are proposed, America sabotages the process.”
TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan confirmed on Thursday that their second-in-command Rehman was killed in a US drone strike in North Waziristan on Wednesday, along with six other people. This was the second major blow to the militant organisation after the killing of its chief Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone strike in 2009.
The JUI-S leader further said that Pakistan must prove to the Taliban that it was not complicit in the killing of Rehman. “The first priority for Pakistan should be to launch an investigation into this incident. And Pakistan must prove that it was not complicit in this attack.”
He alleged that no facets of the Pakistani government and establishment have given this incidence the importance and the condemnation it deserves.
Haq expressed that while this was a major loss for the TTP, it was also a loss for all of Pakistan.
“Our entire country is burning in this [TTP] fire.”
The TTP announced earlier on Thursday that it has rescinded its dialogue offer to the incoming government.
TTP spokesperson Ehsan vowed that the organisation would take revenge for the killing of its deputy chief.
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So far drone was only targetting the terrorists but now the supporters of terrorists are also in its list .
@Mirza: How and why are the elements of Padagogy! The yanks have failed not oncebut twicei in the basics. They took on a seemingly small people, who were known as the children of dragons and had defeaed chinese and the french, and subsequentlyhad to sign on the surrender. This was Vietnam! Their second adventure being with Afghan Pashtuns, known as the children of the mountain lions, who fear no one but God and have defeated the Brits and the Soviets and now the marines and the seals in the valleys and the mountains as well as in villages, fruit orchards and the opium fields. America has only one option and that is to surrender their weaponry. The unmanned kites do not frighten those who believe in God's intervention in favour of the righteous. It is difficult to understand the power of God, but assured are those who believe and trust in God's grace and the control over universe.
Rex Minor
@KKK: Remember when they offered peace talks, they claimed the attacked and killed 12 persons. Just to verify your idiotic timeline, they are killing people anyway. Surprising you have picked two "significant deaths"
The drone did return the signal to the US, the Tornados are now being reported in the mainland.
Rex Minor
The USA has done a great service to Pakistan by eliminating one of the biggest terrorist in the country...how about a big Thank You to the USA for doing what the Pakistani military should have done long ago...there never was a chance for a negotiated agreement, these Taliban are murderers and thugs, they are not honorable men who listen to reason...
@Mirza: @numbersnumbers:
You need to explain all that to Pakistani establishment and to a majority of Pakistanis...
@Jat: One can understand if some think Afghan Taliban are freedom fighters because they are fighting against foreign forces, however TTP terrorists have waged wars against people of Pakistan. If they are the freedom fighters then Pakistani army and we are the occupation forces and they must defeat us. How can we call these terrorists moderate after they have the blood of 60 thousand Pakistanis on their hands? How could there be any talks when TTP never stopped killing us? They did not even slow down the killing process. We may surrender to TTP despite nuclear power and a million strong army but the US would not stop till the terrorists declare ceasefire. It is ironic we want the US and world to surrender to TTP because some of our leaders want it?
Doesn't it prove that drones attacks are right? What was the motive? this proof or the result ?
Pakistanis are very difficult to understand. They brought Nawaz Sherif to power with 2/3rd majority. They rejoiced and distributed sweets on the streets when Musharraf took over. Now they want to give Pakistan to the talibans.
On a side note, I have watched Syed Munawar Hasan of JeI many times in TV discussions. He always says Pakistan is fighting a "War OF Terror" instead of "War ON Terror". In one TV show he used this term over 10 times. Is this a confusion or confession?
Haq expressed that while this was a major loss for the TTP, it was also a loss for all of Pakistan. Do one need any further evidence about non-state actor. Answer is big NO.
My worst fear is that some elements of Pakistani establishment have been selling the nation to the Americans and the Indians. I pray that is not true.
@KKK: The question is: Did these things happen. Everyone knows that all these happened. Who made these videos? Certainly not USA. So, where is the conspiracy?
Whatever this "dialogue process" is or was but it did not stop the Taliban and their cohorts from exploding bombs and assassinating tribal opponents, polio workers, shias and whoever else they could get their hand on. Why do the Talibans and their apologists expect a one sided cease fire while the Taliban go along doing what they have been doing for the past several years? Most of them don't consider themselves as citizens of Pakistan and these tribal autonomous areas should be dealt in the same way that the Pakistani army should deal with combatants from a foreign country. They have broken peace treaties many times before and this attack on their so called number 2 is just an excuse for them to do it again.
@Jat: Just a reminder, your beloved "freedom fighters like Rehman" have slaughtered tens of thousands of Pakistanis over the years with no remorse!
I think it is the question of whether we want to learn to coexist and terms and conditions in place or just want to keep fighting till one remains or the other.
I think the co-existence option is better and the peace process should continue.
The timing of this particular drone strike tells a lot. The US would not allow at any cost any kind of peace agreement happening between TTP and Pak Govt. Until the US forces are out of our backyard, there would be no peace in this region.
Emjay: You, my friend are living in La-La Land. Why on Earth would the TTP disarm when the entire Pakistani nation is bending over backwards to surrender to them? Its not them who are on the back foot, its the Pakistani security forces!
Well its government responsibility to protect it's citizens. where are our taxes going?? Taliban are right or wrong, itz a different debate, but what is US mandate to kill Pakistanis. In the first phase these people are label as terrorist, next turn will be our
Decide, you want die by the hands of Taliban or USA.
A nuclear power has to prove to a militia who openly admits to attacking said nuclear power that it did not just dare to attempt a retaliation!
@KKK: Malala getting shot, the woman getting flogged etc. -.you consider them coincidences. If the only time such barbarity was practiced is when there was an attempt to negotiate, there would be some merit in what you say. That however is not the case. The TTP brutes have continued to brutalize Pakistani civilians day in and day out. So if one of those things happened while there was some discussion on peace treaty, that can hardly be called a coincidence.
Secondly, it is sad that something worth celebrating I.e. a key TTP figure being eliminated can meet with such doubts in Pakistan. You can never win a war if you do not clearly and correctly identify your enemies.
@BlackJack: I dont think so....only a dead terr is a good terr!
Dialogue with devil is not good either to the country or to Islam. Finish the agenda of eliminating TTP completely and this nation will be a heaven for all.
I am against talks with taliban. But having told this, i want few facts to be brought to attention of people: 1. At swat deal deal, there was a video that surfaced of woman being flogged. 2. At time when pakistan was resisting operation in northj waziristan, malala was shot in head. 3. Nd now when new elected government wanted to try their approach (So that they can gain clarity) this person gets hit in drone strike.
I am not a believer in conspiracy theories but these coincidences are one too many even for me to digest. Seriously. Research these chronology of events. I am speechless.
I am so glad this happened, even if the US did this on purpose to derail the 'negotiations'. A good TTP member is a dead TTP member.
These barbarians should be only talked with when you have a gun on their head. Haq is a closet TTP member, him negotiating with the TTP from the side of the Govt would result in the TTP getting everything. It will result in the TTP coming back stronger like they have from past 'peace' agreements.
Mr sharif will soon learn to know that Pakistan is involved with the yanks since Musharaf days!!!
Rex Minor
If this is your chief negotiator then your negotiations are doomed.
Pakistan should expel the US ambassador as a sign of good faith to the TTP.
Why should the Pakistani government not be "complicit" in this attack? Haven't the Taliban murdered Pakistani soldiers, blown up government and civilian properties, murdered healthcare workers?
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Samiul Haq (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq is right. Pakistan Army must give irrefutable proof (which can stand in a court of law) to the Taliban that it was not complicit in the killing of Waliur Rehman.
If moderate freedom fighters like Rehman are killed, then no peace talks will be possible. And in such a case, the religious parties in Pakistan like the JUI-s, JUI-f and JI will continue to provide moral support to the freedom fighters.
'The JUI-S leader further said that Pakistan must prove to the Taliban that it was not complicit in the killing of Rehman.'
Why should we approach dialogue from a weak position? We dont have to prove anything. The drones have greatly weakened the TTP. They are on the defense. Thye should be approaching us from the weaker position, begging to be saved from the drones. For that, they need to agree to disarm themselves and live like insaan ke bachay in this country. Otherwise, they can keep getting droned. USA is doing what Pakistani government should have done a long time back. These animals are responsible for thousands of deaths of Pakistanis in the country, not to mention unbearable embarrassment and shame for Pakistanis living abroad.