“I’m sure the way the army is ready to protect the country’s borders and the lives of its citizens, it also wants to see the peace process successful,” says Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. PHOTO: PID/FILE
The recent spate of deadly violence has called into question the government’s strategy of tackling the scourge of terrorism through dialogue. Rumours started making rounds that the government might gave in to increasing pressure from opposition parties and civil society and review its strategy. However, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan reiterated on Sunday that the government’s priority was dialogue.
In a policy statement, the minister said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif himself wished for a peaceful settlement of the issue, which was also endorsed by the political and military leaderships at the Sept 9 all-parties conference in Islamabad.
He said the government appreciated the efforts of the country’s religious leaders and clerics for supporting a permanent solution to the issue of terrorism. Wafaqul Madaris – a conglomerate of Deobandi madrassas – recently offered to mediate between the government and the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
The government would extend full support to the clerics for this purpose, Chaudhry Nisar, without naming anyone.
The minister also sought to quash rumours that the military did not condone the government’s counter-terror approach. The dialogue process has the full backing of the military leadership, he said. “I’m sure the way the army is ready to protect the country’s borders and the lives of its citizens, it also wants to see the peace process successful.”
The prime minister, according to Chaudhry Nisar, has repeatedly said that the use of force must be avoided for establishing peace in the country. “Even in his first address to the nation, the prime minister had expressed the same sentiments.”
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (9)
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There is no negotiating with these people. You offer them an olive branch and in return they kill a 100 people. I wish they were some sort of peaceful solution but time and again the Taliban have shown that they aren't interested in dialogue. I'm afraid the only way to deal with these people is by filling them with lead. It's a sad way to deal with things but innocent lives are at stake.
The world is moving foreward, not backwards. Both Taliban and Pakistan have to understand that very well. The world at large specially our neighbours, Iran, India, China, Central Asian Republics will not tolerate anything to do with Taliban. So it does not matter if the talks pass or fail. The moment the government catipulates to these mad people, there will be no Pakistan.
@Naseer: Partners in crime or just cowards ?
Excellent observation. The answer is both and if I may add 'unconstitutional' as well due to the recent statement made by the TTP on Church attack.
The spokesman of the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) said the peace talks cannot be successful until the withdrawal of army troops from the tribal areas and the release of prisoners. You want to accept their demand and surrender...Coward..take the help of Sri Lanka govt if needed...Deobandi Madrassas are nursery for terrorist
You fool go and get them before they get you and all state machinery in their own hands. They have already sectioned attacks on minorities as according to Sharia so what is state waiting for ....... further killings by the enemies of state and its population.
There is nothing wrong with dialogue. But how are you supposed to initiate dialogue when the other side is not even interested in it from any angle. Had they wanted peace, they would have stopped killing civilians and soldiers who are just doing their duty.
By now, anyone with just a hint of human intelligence would know that they don't want dialogue. For them, warfare is a big business. They get paid by foreign intelligence agencies and local sympathizers. They were all madrassa students with no job skills, but now they all have land cruisers. Why would they want peace when war is their only source of livelihood?
Shame on PML-N and PTI for misleading the common man.
Partners in crime or just cowards?
well there is no other option for you, after nawaz sharif bowed down to the terrorists. Now there is just a race between PTI and PMLN for appeasing the terrorists.
Just what parts of the constitution is/are the government willing to negotiate on??? Just what are the items of negotiation that the TTP want to talk about??? For such a "perceived" important event the DETAILS are notably lacking!