APC mandates govt to hold talks with Taliban

Calling dialogue the “only option” to deal with the scourge of terrorism and militancy across the country, the political leadership on Monday authorised the federal government to initiate the process with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) without any delay.

The authorisation came at the end of the all-parties conference (APC) convened by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and attended by leaders of all major political parties.

All attendees signed an eight-point joint resolution adopted at the daylong summit, terming the war on terror being fought in the national interest and not on the dictates of the US or any other state.

As a shock to many, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Kayani told the participants that an operation against the Taliban was a difficult option to which the prime minister agreed, saying operation would be the last option for his government.

He also said dialogue with the Taliban was his personal priority and there was no foreign pressure in this regard.

The participants also expressed strong belief in the country’s armed forces and asked the government to take all necessary steps in this regard, including development of an appropriate mechanism and identification of interlocutors for the peace process and also consider taking up the drone attacks issue to the United Nations Security Council if needed, as drone attacks were a violation of the international laws.

“Needless to state, the process should be as inclusive as possible, with full participation of the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and other stakeholders. Guiding principles should include respect for local customs and traditions, values and religious beliefs and the creation of an environment which brings peace and tranquillity to the region,” said the joint resolution issued following the six-hour-long meeting.

TALKS WITH BALOCH MILITANTS

The in-camera meeting also authorised the provincial government of Balochistan and its chief minister, Abdul Malik Baloch, to initiate the process of dialogue with all estranged Baloch elements inside and outside of the country with a view to bring them back to the national mainstream.

KARACHI UNREST:

About Karachi unrest, the meeting praised the recent initiative of the federal government to take all stakeholders into confidence and its complete support to the Sindh government for restoration of peace and order.

A source told Pakistan Today that the COAS briefed the meeting on the security challenges posed due to activities of the militants.

“General Kayani clarified that there was no covert or tacit agreement with the US on the drone strikes. He also made it abundantly clear that there were no differences whatsoever between the political and military leadership to deal with Taliban and vehemently stated that the civilian and military leadership were on the same page,” the source added.

He quoted the army chief as asking the political leadership to take any decision and the army would implement it.

“The army is itself a part of the government. So there is no weight in (media) reports that the army and the government are not on the same page. Military and civilian leadership are on the same page,” he asserted.

The source said Gen Kayani, however, viewed that talks and operations may be continued simultaneously per international norms as use of force may help mount further pressure on insurgents and talks should be used to lure them towards peace – a notion which was outright rejected by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary-General Liaquat Baloch, who viewed the use of force and dialogue simultaneously may backfire and foil confidence-building measures (CBMs) between both the sides. He added that Khan said a ceasefire should be called.

The source quoted Khan as saying that Pakistan made successive blunders by siding with the US in its attack on Afghanistan which had infuriated the Pashtuns and later sending the army to the Tribal Areas that had helped insurgents build their case strongly against the state of Pakistan.

TALKS TOP PRIORITY:

Earlier, addressing the APC, Nawaz said dialogue was the government’s top priority, adding that the solution to addressing terrorism would be sorted out with consensus after thorough deliberations.

“It is the need of the hour for all political forces in the country to shun politicking on issues of national importance such as terrorism and energy crisis, and join hands to address them unanimously. We have to rise above politics on some issues and develop a national consensus for the sake of this country,” he added.

He said he had also directed the interior minister to extend cooperation to the provincial governments to ensure better coordination with the federal government on security issues.

He said the US would maintain its strategic standing in Afghanistan, adding that it was not realistic to hope that Washington would leave Afghanistan by 2014.

On the law and order in Karachi, he expressed satisfaction that all major political parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had given their consent for a targeted operation.

Later, ISI Director General Lt Gen Zaheerul Islam briefed the participants on the security situation in the country

MQM leader Dr Farooq Sattar said terrorism had not been fought against properly and a lot needed to be done to eliminate the menace.

Prior to the commencement of the APC, Nawaz held an exclusive meeting with the PTI chairman on security challenges. The COAS and Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan were also present.

They discussed the challenges faced by the country at length and agreed on the future plan of action to deal with the matter.

The federal cabinet would meet today (Tuesday) to approve the APC’s recommendations while the government would now form terms of reference (ToRs) for holding talks with the Taliban and a mechanism would also be formed for taking the peace process ahead.

The government, however, failed to present its national security policy during the moot and the discussion was restricted to counterterrorism subject.