Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Wednesday deviated from a longstanding stance of dialogue with Taliban insurgents and said his party will be standing by the army in case a military operation is launched to counter the terrorist threat, private news channels reported.
Speaking to media reporters Khan said that the government had failed to pursue talks with the militants.
He added that his party, which rules the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, should be taken into confidence if a military operation is being launched in the neighbouring tribal area.
He said that if the government had sought cooperation from tribal areas, the anti-state elements would not have triumphed, adding the government was given a mandate by all the political parties to commence peace talks with the Taliban.
Khan’s unusual statement came a day after Pakistan military aircrafts killed at least 40 militants in airstrikes over militant hideouts in North Waziristan.
PTI to stand by army on operation, says Imran Khan
