All for talks: Isolate hardliners in TTP, Imran advises govt

Imran is also calling for prompt action against Taliban groups who are unwilling to hold dialogue with authorities.

LAHORE:

The government should segregate those members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) who oppose negotiations, according to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan.

Imran is also calling for prompt action against Taliban groups who are unwilling to hold dialogue with the authorities. Those who agree to negotiations should be given a chance in order to maintain peace in Pakistan, he said, adding that a pro-American war lobby is pulling the country to the brink of devastation; political parties such as the PPP, MQM and ANP financially benefited from the ‘war on terror’ and are now demanding action against the TTP, he said.

Political parties opposing talks with the TTP are signatories to four All Parties Conference deals regarding talks, he said. The US is keen for a military operation in North Waziristan in order to damage the Haqqani group’s network and any operation will negatively impact talks with the TTP.

Speaking at a press conference welcoming new members of the PTI from Fasialabad and Narowal, the party chief said the establishment of a TTP office in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa would be decided upon following consultation with the federal government.

In recent by-elections in three constituencies in Punjab, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz carried out ‘massive rigging’, Imran alleged.

Discussing the drought in Thar, Imran said that ‘political gimmicks’ such as festivals should be discouraged as the nation is facing a critical phase. “I will visit Thar after solid steps towards relief work have been taken by the Imran Khan Foundation and the PTI as I do not want a photo session at the cost of victims,” he said.

Commenting on the attacks at Islamabad’s district courts, Imran said a special police force is required to combat such terror attacks.

While commenting on Islamabad court’s attack, the PTI leader said we required a special police force to deal with this challenge.

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