There are sceptics, and for good reason
The TTP has reciprocated to the offer of ‘unconditional talks’ by the government of Pakistan after the APC ‘unanimously’ so decided, terming it a ‘positive step’. While the government has showed its preference, with the emphasis on ‘unconditional’ despite the state of Pakistan having been the aggrieved party after relentless attacks over a decade taking a heavy toll on its people, armed forced and considerable assets, the Taliban have still to commit to any confidence building measures, such as a temporary ceasefire. On the face of it, everybody who is anybody in our polity backed the dialogue over seeking outright retribution against the perpetrators of violence. But from various reports, one can deduce that perhaps the brass was not as wholeheartedly behind the ‘talks alone’ option. But everyone went along with the considered view of the PML-N’s leading lights and the PTI’s long-stated overarching stance in favour of talks, and also on keeping them unconditional. But this ‘support’ has now put these two main ‘talks’ protagonists in the spot: either the talks should deliver peace or else the state of Pakistan should take the bigoted, deadly militants on with all its might and not relent until they are eliminated root and branch – no ifs and buts, no ambiguity.
But will the talks, if they take place at all, succeed? Many from amongst the participants, the security experts and the tribe of analysts have already expressed reservations bordering on scepticism. There are genuine, solid grounds for their apprehension. For one, the Taliban Inc. is a conglomerate of some 30-odd to 60 groups, but it is not run by one chairman or a single board of directors. Second, they are shifty by nature and quite prone to changing goalposts. Third, it is most likely that not all or any of these are really hungering for peace and progress of this blighted nation. Fourth, the history of agreements and truce with the Taliban and its many allies and factions is indeed not something much to write home about.
This by no means is going to be easy. The lack of resolve shown thus far by the two post-Musharraf political dispensations has only emboldened the Taliban and their franchisees. Now that the PML-N government has gotten its wish every which way – the talks and with consensus – the onus is on it to make Taliban yield so that tangible results are obtained. The broad contours of the minimum benchmark the government must set is: i) Pursuit of peace must not create a perception of sellout; ii) the army should neither leave the tribal areas nor the Taliban should be let in the FATA agencies won back after great sacrifice; iii) no release of terrorists in custody, especially the ones sentenced by courts; iv) the militants must show allegiance to the constitution as it stands today and renounce militancy; v) the TTP leadership must bear responsibility for the actions of any of its myriad components . As the talks proceed, the government will have to be extremely cautious. The slightest hint of further weakness could wreak even greater havoc.
