Ch Nisar and Imran Khan should hold talks with TTP directly, if they believe talks would succeed
Despite no end to terrorist attacks, the government’s keenness to hold talks with the TTP remains unabated. Ch Nisar’s partiality for Taliban is now taking a shape where the interior minister simply refuses to recognise facts. Nisar recently told National Assembly that majority of Taliban were not against Pakistan and wanted dialogue with the government. If this is so, who killed nearly 50,000 Pakistanis including over 5,000 soldiers since 9/11? Did any of Nisar’s pro-Pakistan Taliban try to stop the killers living in the tribal areas along with them? Did any of them condemn the killings over the period? Did any group split up with the TTP over the issue? We are told that since Sept 10 last year, when the APC decided to hold talks, 460 innocent people, including 308 civilians, 114 soldiers and 38 policemen, have fallen victim to terrorist acts. The killings continued even after the break in drone attacks by the US. Attacks on personnel of law enforcement agencies, workers administering polio vaccine and policemen guarding them continue without let up. In the most recent incident on Tuesday, two policemen escorting a polio team were killed in Dera Ismail Khan.
While Nisar is widely seen as an apologist for the terrorists, he has no concrete plan to end violence. The committee appointed last month failed to produce any result and its members desired that the task may be given to other negotiators. Nisar is again fumbling in the dark. He wanted a new committee where military was also represented to hold talks directly with the TTP, instead of talking through intermediaries. After the army declined to accept the suggestion, Nisar’s fondness for talks did not end. He is still playing with the idea of talks. We are told now that the committee will comprise bureaucrats alone, including one nominated by the PTI. The PTI has however recommended an MPA. It is now being doubted if the TTP would agree to talk to yet another body not authorised to take decisions on its own.
How long is this rigmarole supposed to continue? The common man’s patience has already been overtaxed. Why don’t Nisar and Imran Khan go to Waziristan and meet the Taliban who are according to them not against Pakistan and are dying to hold parleys? This would make the procedure simpler and more efficient. What the nation wants is a solution within the parameters of the constitution. If the two leaders believe this can be worked out, then why delay matters by shifting responsibilities to others?