File photo of Ehsanullah Ehsan (L). PHOTO: AFP
Ehsanullah Ehsan, senior commander of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ruled out any chance of peace talks on Saturday.
In an interview with Newsweek magazine, he declared that dialogue with the government is not even a remote possibility following Hakimullah Mehsud’s death.
“After this incident, there can be no peace talks,” he said. “It would be too generous to say that the possibility of peace talks is zero; the chances are, in fact, below zero. This incident was a violation of Pakhtun culture.”
Ehsan further highlighted his group’s now hardened position by vowing to avenge Hakimullah’s death.
“Hakimullah Mehsud was our leader, our hearts are heavy and our anger will soon be felt by everyone. The ruse of peace talks has been used to eliminate our leaders one by one,” he said, adding that the group will utilise its capabilities to target security organisations and anyone who is “a part of this system.”
During the interview, the TTP commander ruled out the possibility that the death was an inside job, and held the government responsible.
He expressed absolute certainty that the Pakistan Army was behind the strike, and said he was ‘110% sure’ the country’s security organisations were involved, as well.
“For every drone attack, about 80% of the information and ground intelligence is provided by Pakistani security organisations,” Ehsan claimed.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 10th, 2013.
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I will fight this idiot ... one on one...for the sake of pakistan
The picture shows 2 of :The Three Stooges." The 3rd. Stooge embraced a drone.
After 2014, America will be gone from the region, and all those cheering on the death of Hakeemullah will face the consequences (next fighting season).
Is Pakistan able to fight the Taliban on their own?
@Omar : You only punish them when you have the capability to do that. 10 years already we are fighting with them, i think its the right time to to give peace a chance.
We knew that already that taliban just wanted drone may be stopped in the name talks. As they gone far away to rule the world. Power made them mentalily sick and they starting to believe that they good make it possible. Before Them thery have an example of USSR as how few people change into the large group and than they ruled half of the world and become supper power. Not only so they have also many examples from Islamic history too. Therefore they bound to bring dustruction for muslim peoples specially pakistan in near future. They would not believe in talks at all. If pakistan want to save the innocent peoples of pakistan than they must strike back hard and close the madrsas as they are main source of producing Talibans
@omar: For 9 years we have fought the war, to no avail. It's stupid to carry on with the same strategy. When we declare them as terrorist it would be only fair to also account in the atrocities they have suffered at the hands of US/Pakistan forces. Failed policies by Musharraf and the following government are the real reason these people turned against us in the first place, previously such movements existed but never were they able to muster up such support BECAUSE people were happy the way they were. We listened to Musharraf and his coward's way out by using force on our own people. To all those who advocate war, have you ever thought what makes a man go out and blow himself up? Do you feel the urge the blow yourself up? Certainly not. Unlike Americans these people do not have access to therapy post-war. They are in panic and devastated inside outside, and hence harbor ideal characteristics for the criminal master minds amidst them to brain-wash them. Understanding that root of the problem is lack of education is imperative. These people have received nothing from the Pakistani state but bombs. They were neglected since the very beginning. Even Quiad-e-Azam advised his government to not meddle with the people of these tribal areas. War is a very dirty phenomenon which ruins lives, what is war if not of women and children? Warriors die on both sides, it is expected of them. But the weak suffer. Pakistan needs someone with an iron nerve to bring these people to the table. After all, it is their women and children too who die in this war, not only ours! Peace is a win-win. Bring education, kill radicalism from the root, not its branches. Branches can grow back, roots cannot!
@Asc, good riddance i say! Negotiate with a terrorist, IK is delusional. You dont talk to a murderer, you punish them!
If only TTP is accused of killing of the unnumbered and uncountable innocent and sinless people then US is also because US' forces have killed thousnads of innocent people first in Vietnam,then in Iraq and now are killing in Afghanistan.Why the world doesn't criticize US' bloodshed and slaughter and doesn't coerce US to end/stop the killing games in Afghanistan? Both Taliban and US are killing the innocent and sinless people and US' killings are more than Taliban......
Here I congratulate all the that US' supporters who congratulated and thanked US on the killing of Hakeemullah Mehsood and said shukar Alhamdollillah because before Mehsood's killing peace talks with TTP were reached near to start but US hit the right nail on the head and killed Hakeeemullah Mehsood.Now Pakistani innocent and sinless people shall face the more terrorism ,suicide attacks bomb blasts not US' and Pakistani leaders because they are living in fortified palaces with hundreds of security guards around but the Pakistani people are living at stake and on the edge.....