Our very own friendly neighbourhood nuisances are full of advice for us once again, as they introduce the stoppage of drones to the pre-negotiation conditions that the government must adhere to if they want to talk. It’s great that they have announced their support for a move that the government was already preparing to make, and shrewdly phrased it as a "demand". Nawaz Sharif should ask them if they want fries with that shake, because clearly the TTP is treating the government as their own personal manservant.
Now that they have their instructions, the government should rush to a gathering of the world leaders to announce its displeasure about drone strikes. The fact that Nawaz did just that barely a week ago should not deter him from doing it all over again. Added to that, Hafiz Saeed induged in a bit of schadenfreude at the American government shutdown, and added his two cents to the mix by asking the government to "look America in the eye" and shoot down drones to "scare them off". The government at this time will no doubt be examining with care the advice by these good Samaritans, and admiring their foresight for highlighting the next move.
On a different note, maybe Imran Khan should stop asking for political space for the TTP and should look to protect his own, as his comments have been heavily criticised by the public at large. The TTP has responded to PTI by saying that they don’t need their help to achieve their goals. If space is what the terrorists need, they will blow up a few things to make some room for themselves, as they did on Thursday in Hangu, killing seventeen more people. The TTP has always had a proclivity for demonstrating their sincerity for the welfare of the Pakistani people by orchestrating attack after attack; Imran Khan seem to think this is just an unconventional method of conveying their love. Where regular folks use flowers and chocolates, the TTP uses bombs and bullets. They're "one of our own", don't you know?
Ultimately, the government and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif needs a lesson in conducting negotiations, and the insurgents might prove to be the best teachers, as they have mastered the art of getting the government to do exactly what they want. When they say jump, we ask, "How high?