The first among equals

Banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Sunday showed flexibility in holding talks with the government provided conditional guarantee of three politicians. In a video tape, TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan said talks with the government were only possible if PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman and JI chief Munawar Hasan offered guarantees. “We are ready for negotiations with government if these politicians guarantee,” he added. Ehsan whose real name is Yaseen Safi was also accompanied by former PAF official Adnan Rashid. Rashid was sentenced to death for carrying an attack on former president Pervez Musharraf. He escaped from Bannu Central Jail in April 2012.
Similarly, Ehsan demanded release of Muslim Khan and Malik Mahmood from Swat and Maulvi Omar from Bajaur. Muslim Khan and Malik Mahmood were apprehended from Swat during 2009 military operation whereas Omar was arrested from Mohmand Agency. Omar’s real name is Abdul Wali and he was handed over to security forces by some tribal elders. Later, most of the elders were killed. The TTP spokesman said, “We have no trust in armed forces as it violated almost all agreements made in past.” He, however, welcomed nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s proposal for resolving of the dispute through dialogue.
“Dr Abdul Qadeer is national asset and we consider his proposal for dialogue,” he added. The TTP spokesman said, “We have decided eliminating of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. First, we attacked MQM public meeting and later killed its MPA. The TTP is determined to go ahead against MQM.” The TTP spokesman said that Maulvi Omar and Muslim Khan would lead the Taliban delegation to hold the talks. Ehsan alleged that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was responsible for the killing of clerics in Karachi, adding that the killers would be dealt with sternly. The TTP spokesman discarded rumours of differences between Hakimullah Mehsud and Waliur Rehman and said there were no differences between both top TTP leaders. Separately, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Sunday welcomed banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s conditional willingness for negotiations and termed it a positive development. “In fact, banned TTP expressed willingness for dialogue in response of Awami National Party offer,” KP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told Pakistan Today. He said the government is not only welcoming such offer but determined to extend every sort of facilities and help to politicians such as Fazlur Rehman, Munawar Hassan and Nawaz Sharif. KP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar termed TTP’s conditional offer a positive development in response of what he said “Awami National Party’s offer for dialogue”. He said that now whenever the two sides commence dialogue then all matters, including release of three inmates, disassociation from violence and others could be discussed. He said that all such matters could be settled in dialogue. So far, Pakistan Muslim League Senator Raja Zafarul Haq has welcomed the TTP statement, saying, “Dialogues should be held without prior terms and conditions.” Leaders of the JUI-F and JI are yet to respond.