Dialogue process: TTP offshoots to be subject to talks outcome, says Ibrahim

Says meetings to continue despite hurdles.

A member of the Tehreek-e-Taliban’s committee to hold dialogue with the government, Professor Ibrahim has said that the Taliban Shura intends to take all Taliban groups – nearly 50 in number – on board for discussions.

Speaking with Javed Chaudhry in the Express News programme Kal Tak on Wednesday he said the Shura has assured the committee that it will withdraw its support for any groups that continue attacks, leaving the government free to deal with them.

Ibrahim admitted there were hurdles in the way of talks but said the dialogue would continue. A ceasefire would be announced by both parties simultaneously, he said. Clarifying the position of both committees, he added that neither committee is a party to the talks or a guarantor – both are facilitators and coordinators.



The TTP has not placed any preconditions for the talks and the process of confidence-building is moving ahead, he added. “We are not in a position to guarantee that there will be no drone attacks there,” he said.

Even if there are drone strikes in the region, the committees will encourage a continuation of talks. Ibrahim commented that the government should have considered if talks with the TTP could be labelled unconstitutional or unlawful prior to engaging in the dialogue.

He hoped the number of Taliban groups would decline as they are absorbed into the mainstream. He said those who wish the talks to fail would be disappointed.  

Published in The Express Tribune, February 13^th, 2014.