Politicians denounce Mohmand killings

PTI chairman Imran Khan calls on Taliban to announce unconditional ceasefire.

ISLAMABAD:

Government officials and politicians on Monday denounced  the killing of 23 kidnapped Frontier Corps personnel by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mohmand Agency chapter and termed it a setback for the peace process.

PTI Chairman Imran Khan also issued a strong condemnatory statement and said that the execution of the kidnapped soldiers is against the teachings of Islam.

He hoped the government and military would let the nation know the veracity of the shocking news. He also expressed concern over the fact that these FC men had been held prisoner since 2010 in an area – Mohmand Agency – that had ostensibly been ‘cleared’ by the military.

“Yet the government at the time, the military and the present government, had all done nothing to secure the safe release of these soldiers, who seemed to have been simply forgotten,” the statement said.

The PTI chief also called on the Taliban Central Shura to disassociate itself from the 23 FC soldiers’ killing and announce an unconditional ceasefire to save the peace talks.

MQM chief Altaf Hussain also strongly condemned the killings. In a statement issued on Monday, he said the militants had killed hundreds of security officials and citizens during the course of the peace dialogue.

Minister for Defence Khawaja Asif said that strict action would be taken against the perpetrators.

In a statement, he said the country needed stability, but such acts would negatively impact the attempts to restore peace.

The minister said the nation was united and wanted progress and prosperity in the country. He said the government was serious and sincere in talks with Taliban but violence and negotiation could not go together.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 18^th, 2014.