Corps commanders meet: Army brass to back govt steps, say officials

Briefed about TTP talks; security officials say this is a political matter.

ISLAMABAD:

Discussing the ongoing efforts to strike a peace deal with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the country’s top military brass reiterated that the civilian government will be taking all the major decisions, which the forces will follow, according to security officials.

The corps commanders and the army chief met at General Headquarters, Rawalpindi, on the first day of the two-day Corps Commanders’ Conference on Monday.

“The participants also undertook a comprehensive review of the prevalent internal and external security situation of the country,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a media statement. The second day of the conference will be devoted to the promotion board, it added.

Military officials told The Express Tribune that an in-depth briefing was given to the corps commanders and the army chief, General Raheel Sharif, about the state of current negotiations.

The security official said the process of negotiations was a political decision and hence, the army will follow whatever steps the government takes.

He also made it clear that the government would take the ceasefire decision. “We have not been officially conveyed about the truce yet,” said another official.

Others disclosed that the top military commanders also discussed the possibility of the army chief and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director-general’s interaction with the Taliban committee.

However, the top commanders left the matter to the government. “The army is part of the government, so, at this point, there is no need of any such interaction,” said the official, adding it was up to the government to make the final call.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2014.