The government will make its stance on the talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) known in the next few days, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Monday.
Talking to reporters, Malik welcomed the offer of negotiation by the banned organisation, saying the government would welcome anyone including PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, who the TTP had asked to be guarantors of the talks. “I have often said bullet is not the solution to problems. Earlier it was not clear with whom the Taliban wanted to talk but now that they have mentioned whom do they want as granulators, lets welcome it,” Malik said.
To a question, the interior minister said the government would respond to the offer in a couple of days. However, he said the negotiation offer should be unconditional and not linked with the release of Taliban prisoners. He said he would contact the JUI-F chief in this regard. Malik also asked the Supreme Court to take notice of Tahirul Qadri’s statement in which he claimed that martial law would have been imposed had he not ended the long march. Malik advised Qadri to hire a legal adviser, who could guide him with regards to his political statements, adding that he should make comments that were in favour of the country. To a question about the opposition parties’ sit-in and march outside the Parliament House, Malik said, “They are parliamentarians…they are free to do anything. We will facilitate them.”
He said there was a need for gorilla action in Karachi against Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Sipah-e-Sahaba and other groups disrupting peace, adding that he could take action against lawlessness in Karachi under Article 248 of the constitution. However, Malik said maintaining law and order was the responsibility of the provincial governments.
No objection to holding talks with Taliban: Kaira
The government does not have any objection to holding talks with the Taliban as long as everything remains within the constitutional ambit, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Qamar Zaman Kaira said on Monday. Talking to reporters regarding the Kashmir issue on Monday, the information minister said peace in South Asia could only be established after the resolution of the Kashmir issue. “Pakistan has always supported the Kashmir cause and has taken practical steps for the resolution of the issue,” Kaira said, adding that Pakistan would continue to support the Kashmiris at all political and diplomatic levels. He said all political forces in the country had the same policy on Kashmir, adding that “the Kashmir policy was basically a Pakistan policy”.
