Talks with militants: Govt not sincere about meaningful talks, says TTP
Shahidullah Shahid says Nawaz should stop taking dictation from the US.
Members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
MIRAMSHAH:
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid has said Pakistan government was not sincere in holding meaningful dialogue as it took dictates from the US and, therefore, it cannot be trusted.
“Nawaz Sharif is deceiving us as well as the Pakistani nation,” he said, speaking from an undisclosed location.
The TTP spokesperson said it would negotiate with the government only if it withdrew army from the tribal areas, stopped drone strikes and released their prisoners.
“Nawaz has demanded that Taliban should disarm before initiating peace dialogue and show allegiance to the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said, adding that these demands were not included in the All Parties’ Conference (APC) announcement.
He alleged that the government had killed 12 of the TTP prisoners in Upper Dir and then threw their bodies in Lower Dir.
“It was in response of this brutal act that the TTP attacked a police van in Pishin district of Balochistan.”
The TTP spokesperson said Sirajuddin Haqqani neither chaired the Shoora meeting nor was he present there. “Whenever such meetings take place, they are chaired by Hakeemullah Mehsud.”
When TTP spokesperson was asked to comment on PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s statement about opening Taliban office, he declined to respond.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2013.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid has said Pakistan government was not sincere in holding meaningful dialogue as it took dictates from the US and, therefore, it cannot be trusted.
“Nawaz Sharif is deceiving us as well as the Pakistani nation,” he said, speaking from an undisclosed location.
The TTP spokesperson said it would negotiate with the government only if it withdrew army from the tribal areas, stopped drone strikes and released their prisoners.
“Nawaz has demanded that Taliban should disarm before initiating peace dialogue and show allegiance to the Constitution of Pakistan,” he said, adding that these demands were not included in the All Parties’ Conference (APC) announcement.
He alleged that the government had killed 12 of the TTP prisoners in Upper Dir and then threw their bodies in Lower Dir.
“It was in response of this brutal act that the TTP attacked a police van in Pishin district of Balochistan.”
The TTP spokesperson said Sirajuddin Haqqani neither chaired the Shoora meeting nor was he present there. “Whenever such meetings take place, they are chaired by Hakeemullah Mehsud.”
When TTP spokesperson was asked to comment on PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s statement about opening Taliban office, he declined to respond.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2013.