Dissent within: Punjabi Taliban ready for talks
Punjabi Taliban commander Muavia says they will present clear stance on the proposed dialogue within next 3 days.
Punjabi Taliban commander Muavia said that they will present clear stance on the proposed dialogue within next 3 days. PHOTO: FILE
DERA ISMAIL KHAN:
Punjabi Taliban commander Asmatullah Muavia has said that his group is willing to hold unconditional talks with the government, adding that they would present a clear stance on the proposed dialogue within the next three days.
“We are not involved in the recent attacks on All Saints Church, Secretariat bus and Qissa Khwani Bazaar,” he said on Monday. “We’re serious about talks.”
He alleged that the Awami National Party and the United States of America were conspiring to derail the peace talks. He added that the second objective of these attacks was to discredit the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government.
The central leadership of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had expelled Asmatullah Muavia as the head of the Punjabi Taliban in August when he welcomed the government’s dialogue offer. He insisted, however, that he headed a separate faction altogether.
On September 9, the federal government had decided to hold talks with homegrown militants to end the decade-long conflict at the all parties’ conference in Islamabad.
However, this decision was questioned after Peshawar suffered three major terrorist attacks last week.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2013.
Punjabi Taliban commander Asmatullah Muavia has said that his group is willing to hold unconditional talks with the government, adding that they would present a clear stance on the proposed dialogue within the next three days.
“We are not involved in the recent attacks on All Saints Church, Secretariat bus and Qissa Khwani Bazaar,” he said on Monday. “We’re serious about talks.”
He alleged that the Awami National Party and the United States of America were conspiring to derail the peace talks. He added that the second objective of these attacks was to discredit the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government.
The central leadership of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had expelled Asmatullah Muavia as the head of the Punjabi Taliban in August when he welcomed the government’s dialogue offer. He insisted, however, that he headed a separate faction altogether.
On September 9, the federal government had decided to hold talks with homegrown militants to end the decade-long conflict at the all parties’ conference in Islamabad.
However, this decision was questioned after Peshawar suffered three major terrorist attacks last week.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2013.