Taliban negotiations: ‘Support for one province in ongoing insurgency will come at a cost’
PPP’s Khursheed Shah blames PML-N government for inaction on deteriorating security .
The National Assembly opposition leader also attended a convention organised by the Peoples Student Federation. Earlier in the day, he told reporters the PPP would be reorganised throughout the country. PHOTO: APP
PESHAWAR:
Without naming the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or Punjab, National Assembly (NA) opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah said support for a single province in the ongoing insurgency will alienate other federating units.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member criticised the federal government for not having initiated talks with the Taliban after the all-parties conference (APC) resolution earlier in September.
In a visit to Peshawar on Tuesday, Shah said “the political leadership of the country has authorised the government to initiate talks with the Taliban, but the government has so far not taken any step in this regard.”
However, when the PPP itself was in power, similar resolutions were passed twice and no negotiations took place.
Talking to reporters at the residence of PPP leader Syed Zahir Ali Shah following a party meeting, Shah said the war in Afghanistan has taken the whole country in its spiral. The military leadership has made it clear that they will go according to the decisions taken by the government. “The government should immediately complete the negotiation process to restore peace.”
He said it was up to the government now whether it goes for talks or military operations, adding the “military is ready”.
Reorganising the PPP
Shah promised the PPP will be reorganised throughout the country and acknowledged the defeat of the party in the May general elections was on account of their past mistakes. As part of internal restructuring, all PPP senior leaders holding dual positions would be relieved of their party responsibilities soon.
The party’s senior leader had to deal with a rowdy crowd during his visit to the provincial capital as the PPP’s youth wing activists chanted slogans against their opponent groups and staged a demonstration in front of the central leadership. However, the charged youth activists ended their protests after assurance from Shah that he will attend a convention of the Peoples Student Federation organised the same day.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2013.
Without naming the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or Punjab, National Assembly (NA) opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah said support for a single province in the ongoing insurgency will alienate other federating units.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) member criticised the federal government for not having initiated talks with the Taliban after the all-parties conference (APC) resolution earlier in September.
In a visit to Peshawar on Tuesday, Shah said “the political leadership of the country has authorised the government to initiate talks with the Taliban, but the government has so far not taken any step in this regard.”
However, when the PPP itself was in power, similar resolutions were passed twice and no negotiations took place.
Talking to reporters at the residence of PPP leader Syed Zahir Ali Shah following a party meeting, Shah said the war in Afghanistan has taken the whole country in its spiral. The military leadership has made it clear that they will go according to the decisions taken by the government. “The government should immediately complete the negotiation process to restore peace.”
He said it was up to the government now whether it goes for talks or military operations, adding the “military is ready”.
Reorganising the PPP
Shah promised the PPP will be reorganised throughout the country and acknowledged the defeat of the party in the May general elections was on account of their past mistakes. As part of internal restructuring, all PPP senior leaders holding dual positions would be relieved of their party responsibilities soon.
The party’s senior leader had to deal with a rowdy crowd during his visit to the provincial capital as the PPP’s youth wing activists chanted slogans against their opponent groups and staged a demonstration in front of the central leadership. However, the charged youth activists ended their protests after assurance from Shah that he will attend a convention of the Peoples Student Federation organised the same day.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 23rd, 2013.