Pakistan

Stalled peace talks: Govt is apparently going for operation, says Prof Ibrahim

TTP intermediary says military operation will stoke violence.

Kamran Khan/jehanzeb Khattak/qamar Zaman February 23, 2014

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Prof Mohammad Ibrahim, one of the members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan intermediary committee. PHOTO: SAMEER RAZZAQ

NOWSHERA/ PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD:

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intermediary Prof. Muhammad Ibrahim said on Saturday that the government and the military have apparently decided to launch an operation against the TTP.

“We still support peace talks but perhaps the government is not ready for this,” he said in a press statement. However, he warned that a military operation would further stoke violence in the country.

In fact, neither the government nor its negotiating committee was empowered to meet anyone. “We want to pursue talks but the government committee is refusing [to sit on the table with us] citing only one incident as the reason,” he added.

The peace talks were suspended after the TTP’s Mohmand chapter claimed in a video message that it has slain 23 paramilitary FC troops in revenge for the killing of TTP men by the security forces.

Meanwhile, Taliban chief intermediary Maulana Samiul Haq asked the government and the Taliban to stop fighting and declare a ceasefire ‘for the sake of Allah Almighty’.

Addressing the students of Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak, Nowshera, he said fighting would aggravate the situation while negotiation was the only solution to the issue.

“There is no ideological, religious or constitutional conflict between the Taliban and the government. The government’s support for anti-Islamic and foreign forces is the root cause of terrorism and anarchy,” he added.

Though peace talks are on hold, the government’s four-member negotiating team is likely meet on Sunday (today) to evolve its strategy in the existing scenario, it has been learnt.

“We will have a meeting on Sunday in Islamabad,” a member of the committee told The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.

He said the government committee would have its internal meeting as well as consultation with other people in the backdrop of the ongoing action against militants.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2014.