WASHINGTON        -       Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Friday said that Pakistan’s leadership will not hold talks with terrorist organisations that don’t respect the country’s laws and the Constitution, adding that the former government adopted an appeasement policy towards the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP).

“The new leadership in Pakistan, both political and military, has been absolutely clear. There will be no talks with terrorist organisations that don’t respect our laws and Constitution.

“I am confident that if we can work with the Afghan interim government, which has influence over these groups, we will be successful in maintaining our security,” he said in an interview with The Washington Post in Davos, Switzerland where he is attending the World Economic Forum. Commenting on the previous PTI government, the foreign minister said: “Imran Khan gave the TTP a place to hide. Not only did he release their prisoners who were in Pakistan’s custody, but also engaged in a dialogue with them. “He (Imran) has always been ideologically sympathetic to their point of view,” Bilawal said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari yesterday said that he expected dialogue on Russia-Ukraine issue. Speaking during a dialogue session titled ‘Security and Coordination’ in Davos, he said that Pakistan hoped that eventually the space will be created for dialogue and diplomatic engagement in order to resolve the conflict sooner rather than later. He said there was need to see a more proactive approach from both Russia and Ukraine and also pursue diplomacy in the pursuit of peace. Responding to the military element of this conflict, Bilawal Bhutto said diplomacy is the key thing that is missing in the entire issue.