ISLAMABAD - Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Wednesday ruled out any possibility of peace talks with the Taliban until they laid down arms.
"The government is ready to hold dialogue with Taliban, if they will announce ceasefire and appoint some sincere religious scholar to achieve purposeful results," the minister told reporters after attending a function organised by Islamabad Police.
He made it clear that Pakistan did not free Taliban rather they were deported from the country because of their overstaying.
He said that if Taliban were sincere in holding talks with the government, they should constitute a jirga, comprising some serious and thoughtful people instead of nominating a person like Adnan Rashid.
He stressed that Taliban should know the fact that people of Pakistan had seen their real face and they would not forgive those involved in killing of innocent citizens. "The nation has rejected Talibanisation.”
He said that Taliban leaders, Waliur Rehman and Hakimullah Mehsud should know that TTP spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan is not loyal to them and they should be careful.
To a question about arrest of former chairman of Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) Tauqeer Sadiq, he said the government had implemented all the directions of Supreme Court and efforts were being made to extradite Sadiq, though some legal complications were impeding the task. The other option would be his deportation, he added. He said that an officer of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) would visit to hold talks with Abu Dhabi authorities to eliminate legal lacunas. However, he suggested that it would be better for Sadiq to voluntarily come to Pakistan and face the court.
Calling the SC verdict on the petition of Tahirul Qadri, he said that nation wanted elections on time. He emphasised that all institutions should join hands to promote democracy and democratic traditions in the country.