ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday announced that the talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) will take place in accordance with the constitution and the law.
In a video message released on Monday evening, the minister said no government can undertake any negotiations beyond the limits of the Constitution and law. “Both the government and the banned TTP have agreed on a complete ceasefire as per understanding,” the minister said. This statement by a federal minister comes barely a few weeks after PM Imran Khan stated that the government was in talks with some TTP groups.
He said sovereignty of the state, security, peace in the affected areas, social and economic stability will be kept in view during the talks. He said affected people of these areas will never be ignored and local people will be taken into confidence in these talks.
The Minister said the ceasefire will be extended in view of the progress in talks. He said it is a welcoming sign that the affected areas of the country are now heading toward the complete peace after a long time. He said Afghan interim government has played a facilitative role in these talks. Chaudhry Fawad Hussain made it clear that the negotiations with the banned TTP were started in line with Prime Minister Imran Khan’s announcement in an interview last month. “Under an agreement, the Government of Pakistan and banned Tehreek-e-Taliban [Pakistan] have agreed upon complete ceasefire,” Fawad told reporters referring to the interview of Prime Minister Imran Khan with a foreign television in which he had hinted at these negotiations.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has lauded truce with the government of Pakistan.
The spokesperson of TTP Muhammad Khurasani, in a statement said that TTP always believes on dialogue. He said that table talk is an important part of war and no power in the world can deny this fact.
Both the government and TTP have reached the ceasefire agreement for next 30 days that could be extended with the consensus of both parties.
The dialogue committees formed from both sides will make future strategy for furthering dialogues process.
Both sides have agreed upon the condition that they would be bound to fulfil the agreement of ceasefire.
It is worth to mention that Afghan government is playing role of arbitrator in talks between TTP and Pakistan government.