PTI to back military operation if talks fail

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  • Says govt should make sincere efforts to give dialogue process a chance
  • Party chief Khan criticises govt for its anti-people economic policies, for printing 800 billion rupees in under three months

 

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday asked the federal government to make sincere efforts to initiate dialogue with the Taliban, adding however that the party would back military operations in case teh talk failed.

“The dialogue process should be given a chance. This is the only way to identify those who wish to hold dialogue… these groups are being funded by our enemies.”

“In order to have viable peace talks, the PTI remains convinced that there must be a structuralised approach,” PTI Chairman Imran Khan told a press conference.

He said his party was convinced that some forces were determined to sabotage the dialogue process and they should be thwarted.

Flanked by senior party leaders, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak, Khan further said “military operations are always the last option, to be decided upon when all else has failed. Such operations must be clearly defined in terms of scope and goals.”

He said in case the dialogue process failed, the government should then launch an operation against the militants and in that case the entire nation would support it.

The PTI chief said the federal government had been given a clear mandate in the all party conference, adding that now the PTI demanded that the federal government implement the unanimously-adopted resolution in the greater national interest.

Talking about drone strikes, Khan said unmanned air strikes were not only violating international laws but were also challenging Pakistan’s sovereignty.

“One important promise that the federal government must fulfill, is its commitment to taking the drone issue to the UN Security Council without any further delay. Otherwise it will become evident that the federal government is not serious about the national consensus reflected in the APC,” Khan said.

He said even if a ceasefire was agreed to by all parties to the dialogue, the drone attacks would derail the process. “Therefore stopping drone attacks is critical to furthering any dialogue and peace process in the country.”

Criticising the government’s economic policies, Khan said those were “anti-people and comprised of unjustified price hikes which target the poor and the middle classes; of a free fall for the rupee; of spiraling inflation along with unprecedented note printing – 800 billion in under three months”.

The PTI chief said the poor people of Pakistan were being made to pay the price for the elite’s tax evasion and corruption.

He also criticised the government and the opposition for not taking the PTI into confidence in the process of appointing the NAB chairman.

3 COMMENTS

  1. Imran khan is very good , however, Taliban cannot be trusted, they only know one language , that is the language of the brutal force. Unless the army is let loose on them, they are not going to give up. Also these Talibans are a bunch of cowards, targetting innocent people, including women and children.

  2. Killing Two Birds With One Stone is The Only Solution:
    I think you have to kill the American narrative first, & the ideologically driven narrative would sympathetically die out.
    But, that would mean, receivables in the budget should come from the increased tax base, not printed money or sources like IMF, which means American nod.
    This cannot happen without an empowered NAB which is independent, & above the executive branch.
    These steps will open up door to rapid investment, as it would build the confidence within the business community & tax payers.
    It would provide them equal playing level turf to play on, those who rescued themselves from the falling rupee would be gotten first.
    Equal opportunity & risk frame work for all.

  3. Dear Imran if you were the PM and saw the demands the TTP were putting would you talk to them? I think the Govt . is showing unprecedented courage to engage despite provocation. The public opinion is divided and so is the policy. The dispute is domestic and not international. USA is not going to stop it's drone attacks as long as it's troops are in danger. As the attaks stop so would the drones too. It is time for TTP to show that it is apart and parcel of Pakistani community and accepts the writ of the Govt. Guns only kill gums. So who will do the talking. Let us take one step at a time. Let us talk.

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