Though the Pakistan Army is geared up for a full-scale operation against banned militant outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has no immediate plan to give a ‘go ahead’ for the operation as presently all discussions and planning at Raiwind are focussed on dealing with the protests being held today (Sunday) by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT).
Sources in the government told Pakistan Today that PTI Chairman Imran Khan has conveyed to the prime minister that he will not cross the ‘red-lines’ and his protest meeting would remain within specified parameters.
However, the premier is concerned about the motives of the rally planned by the PAT leadership. Hence, the PML-N government will go hard on the PAT leadership while Khan will be treated cautiously, the source said.
Another source in the government told Pakistan Today that the only thing on the prime minister’s mind at the moment was a decrease in the duration of power load shedding so that minimum people could join the anti-government protests.
According to the source, “The premier thinks that extensive load shedding may encourage people to join Khan’s protest. So he is working on both issues. He is working day and night to minimise load shedding especially in cities along the GT Road from Lahore to Islamabad–which provided a base for his protests during the previous government.”
The source said that the government wanted to get Khan’s stance softened and some media houses were used to build pressure over the PTI chairman that his rally may jeopardise the democratic process.
“Finally, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar got an assurance from Khan that he would not cross the ‘red lines’. So now the government would deal with the PAT rally firmly,” said the source.
According to the source, all kinds of tactics would be used to block public participation in Tahirul Qadri’s rallies in Lahore and Rawalpindi. The source said that some members of the ruling party suspected that anti-democracy forces might be behind the public gatherings to build pressure on the present government.
GOVT MUM OVER ARMY OPERATION:
A source told Pakistan Today that the prime minister was still weighing his options and in-house consultation have yet not started over the army operation issue in spite of the fact that the army chief had informed the prime minister that the armed forces were ready to wipe out the militants from the tribal areas.
“After Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns from Iran, he will start a consultation process over the army operation,” the source said, adding that the premier would soon be having an in-house discussion over the matter and will also consult major political parties’ heads before giving a go-ahead for the operation.
ARMY READY FOR OPERATION:
On the other hand, the army leadership has almost completed its preparations for an operation against the Taliban.
An army official told Pakistan Today that the military had already despatched all necessary equipment to support an operation across FATA.
“From tanks to cobra helicopters, all necessary equipment has reached the desired destinations. We are only waiting for a go ahead from the civilian leadership,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Asked about the army’s strategy in case the PM again decided to give peace a chance, the official said, “It’s the TTP itself which has announced an undeclared war against the State of Pakistan. They refused to extend the ceasefire. They also refused to accept their previous claim that civilian captives, including Shahbaz Taseer, Ali Haider Gilani and Professor Ajmal Khan are being held hostage by them. They also resorted to attacks on military personnel to declare war.”
When asked about repeated claims by TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid about TTP’s eagerness for peace talks, the army official said that if the TTP believed in dialogue, it would not have removed the only pro-peace commander, Khan Said alias Sajna.
“Sajna’s removal and appointment of Khalid Khurasani as head of TTP’s South Waziristan chapter reflects that the TTP chief does not want peace. Sajna was the only commander urging the TTP for talks and the appointment of Khurasani, who executed 23 Pakistan Army soldiers soon after the TTP came to the dialogue table, reflects that the TTP has itself declared a war on Pakistan,” the source said.
“The TTP’s message is clear but it is up to the civilian leadership to pay heed to the message or not,” the official added.