The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Tuesday said that the option of dialogue was open for exploration if the elected government was able to take a stand against the country’s intelligence agencies
In a new video TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan and member of Shura Dr. Asad said that while the TTP had not rejected the option of talks, present circumstances were not conducive for dialogue and negotiations.
The TTP spokesman in his video message claimed the government of Pakistan did not have the authority to hold talks. They further said that that if the elected government was able to take a stand against the country’s intelligence agencies, only then negotiations could continue.
The TTP spokesman further stated that the Awami National Party (ANP) had been targeted because it became a party to the War on Terror and that the TTP was monitoring policies and views of the newly elected provincial government of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI).
The TTP said that it supported peace negotiations between the US and the Afghan Taliban, a week after the Afghan insurgent leaders opened a political office in Qatar.
Ehsanullah Ehsan said that the banned organisation had vowed allegiance to Mullah Omar and that any decision taken by the Afghan Taliban chief would be accepted.
The US-led NATO coalition launched the final phase of the 12-year war with the last round of security transfers to Afghan forces whereas the Taliban decided to open an office in Qatar and subsequently the US announced that it will launch talks with the insurgents.