ISLAMABAD
Making a U-turn, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan on Monday announced to support a military offensive against the Taliban terrorists.
Talking to reporters outside the Parliament House, he said surgical strikes should be carried out against those terrorists who killed security personnel.
The PTI chief supported Swat-type military operation in North Waziristan Agency (NWA), saying that the army had evacuated Swat Valley before flushing out terrorists; similar action should be practiced in NWA.
“Women and children must be pulled out from North Waziristan before military action as bombardment could result in collateral damage and after that more people would take arms against Pakistani state,” Imran said.
He said there were 600,000 inhabitants in the agency and they should be protected during the military action against terrorists.
Imran said 80 percent internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Mehsud tribe have not returned to South Waziristan after military action in the agency.
He said dialogue process should be carried out as there were several terrorist groups which wanted negotiations with the government.
He advised the Taliban to announce an immediate ceasefire to save the dialogue process.
The PTI head said Rustam Shah Mohmand had represented his party in talks with the Taliban.