‘Doomed’ dialogue: TTP faction demands rewriting of Constitution
Mohmand Agency chapter chief says his group won’t support any commander who compromises on demand.
‘Doomed’ dialogue: TTP faction demands rewriting of Constitution. PHOTO: EXPRESS
GHALLANAI:
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) appears to be increasingly divided over the issue of dialogue with the government. While the group’s central leadership says it’s amenable to negotiations, its Mohmand Agency chapter says talks with the government are doomed.
“We demand rewriting of Pakistan’s Constitution, while the military says any talks with militants must be within the ambit of the Constitution,” the chief of TTP Mohmand Agency chapter, Umar Khalid Khurasani, said in a statement on Friday. “We will not budge an inch from our demand. We will withdraw support from any Taliban commander who compromises on this demand,” he added.
However, euphemistically, he renewed his allegiance to TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud and denied any fissures within the group. “There are no rifts within the TTP.”
Khurasani claimed that the TTP maintains its presence across Pakistan and “our demands and agreement will be for the whole country”.
Referring to the recent upsurge in militant attacks, he said the TTP has not announced any truce because the group was not interested in meaningless talks.
Paradoxically, Khurasani, whose outfit has been blamed for most of the terror attacks in the country, complained about the ‘ill-treatment’ of Taliban prisoners by the security forces. “The treatment meted out to [our] prisoners in Pakistan is not only against Islamic teachings but also against all international laws and Geneva Conventions,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2013.
The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) appears to be increasingly divided over the issue of dialogue with the government. While the group’s central leadership says it’s amenable to negotiations, its Mohmand Agency chapter says talks with the government are doomed.
“We demand rewriting of Pakistan’s Constitution, while the military says any talks with militants must be within the ambit of the Constitution,” the chief of TTP Mohmand Agency chapter, Umar Khalid Khurasani, said in a statement on Friday. “We will not budge an inch from our demand. We will withdraw support from any Taliban commander who compromises on this demand,” he added.
However, euphemistically, he renewed his allegiance to TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud and denied any fissures within the group. “There are no rifts within the TTP.”
Khurasani claimed that the TTP maintains its presence across Pakistan and “our demands and agreement will be for the whole country”.
Referring to the recent upsurge in militant attacks, he said the TTP has not announced any truce because the group was not interested in meaningless talks.
Paradoxically, Khurasani, whose outfit has been blamed for most of the terror attacks in the country, complained about the ‘ill-treatment’ of Taliban prisoners by the security forces. “The treatment meted out to [our] prisoners in Pakistan is not only against Islamic teachings but also against all international laws and Geneva Conventions,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 28th, 2013.