We believe in reconciliation, not confrontation, Rasheed says.
Government aware of three to four groups joining TTP, he says.
He had earlier said talks with TTP was PM Imran Khan’s decision.
ISLAMABAD: Minister of Interior Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Wednesday reiterated that he has no knowledge of the government’s talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The interior minister, addressing a press conference in the federal capital, said he believes in reconciliation, not confrontation, as he revealed that the government was aware of three to four groups joining the militant group.
Pakistan is going to roll out online visas for Afghanistan, the interior minister Sheikh Rasheed said, as Islamabad tries to facilitate Kabul after the Taliban took over the country in mid-August.
At a press conference in Islamabad two days back, the interior minister Sheikh Rasheed said that holding talks with some factions of the TTP was Prime Minister Imran Khan’s decision.
“Negotiations will be done with only those who lay down their arms and recognise the Constitution,” Rasheed mentioned, echoing what the premier had said last week.
Chaudhry backs ‘chance at a normal life’ for TTP militants
On Saturday, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had said wars come to a halt through talks after PM Imran Khan revealed the government was in talks with the banned TTP.
Right before that, Chaudhry supported a “normal life” for militants associated with the banned outfit TTP, who wish to pledged loyalty to the state.
Chaudhry, in a video statement, said: “Peace-loving people who wish to follow the Constitution should be given a chance to get back to a normal life.”
The information minister said the government seeks to move forward with the conditions laid down by the prime minister — who had called for the disarmament of the TTP.
Chaudhry said the state’s policies are made in line with the situation at hand. “The people who could not fulfil their pledge of allegiance to Pakistan want to return to fulfil this pledge.”
What did PM Imran Khan say?
Last Friday, PM Imran Khan, speaking to TRT World’s Ali Mustafa in Islamabad, said that the government is in talks with “some” groups of the TTP for disarmament.
“I think some of the Pakistani Taliban groups actually want to talk to our government. You know, for some peace, for some reconciliation,” the prime minister said.
When asked to confirm whether Pakistan is actually in talks with the TTP, the premier clarified to say that talks are ongoing “with some of them”.
He said that the Afghan Taliban are “helping”, in the sense that the talks are taking place in Afghanistan.
The premier said that these talks, for disarmament, if successful, will lead to the government “forgiving” them, “and then they [will] become normal citizens”.
TTP’s ceasefire
Following the premier’s comments, the outlawed group, in a statement on October 1, had announced a cessation in hostilities between TTP militants in South Waziristan and the army.
Our leaders have asked all fighters to observe a ceasefire from October 1 to October 20, the TTP statement had said.
The TTP had said that their leaders are engaged in some “secret talks”, without elaborating any further.