ISLAMABAD:
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Saturday that the
government has decided to release 13 more Taliban prisoners for
confidence-building with the hope that the Taliban will show the same
spirit and release non-combatants.
The minister said some of the 13 prisoners were included in the list provided by the Taliban to the government.
Chaudhry Nisar made this announcement while talking to media persons here at the Punjab House after a meeting of the government and the Taliban negotiations committees. He said the only demand of the government was permanent peace in the country. He said the negotiations process was passing though a sensitive phase as the unnecessary expression of views could harm the talks process. “We need commitment and positive thinking at this stage,” Chaudhry Nisar said.
“A few people are criticising the negotiations process but a majority of people are supporting the talks as every citizen wants peace in the county,” he said, adding, “What we achieved through negotiations is visible as no serious incident has occurred since the last few weeks.”
He said a military operation was not the solution to the issue, adding that it was very easy to conduct military operations or to adopt the option of hostility and aggression but the government needed a permanent solution to the issue, which was peace through negotiations.
The minister also objected to the role of the media in covering the peace talks. “Peace talks are no news for the media whereas sixes and fours are glorified,” he said, adding that the media highlights bomb blasts but undermines the peace talks.
“We will present our clear points before the Taliban during the second phase of talks, which are starting next week and the same is expected from the other side,” he said.
He said the second phase was very important and sensitive. “The government is pursuing a single point agenda — establishing peace in the country while remaining within the ambit of the Constitution.”
Chaudhry Nisar said all violent activities must stop. “As a goodwill gesture the government has decided to release at least 12 to 13 Taliban, and a few among them have also figured in the list provided by the Taliban to the government,” he said. He added that the government has already released 19 Taliban prisoners in the month of March. “This is a continuation of the programme to release non-combatant Taliban prisoners,” the minister said.
He said the government expected a similar gesture from the Taliban for the release of non-combatantant abductees, including Professor Ajmal, the sons of Yusuf Raza Gilani and Salman Taseer and many other government employees and foreigners who have nothing to do with the war.
Chaudhry Nisar said it was being misreported that the Taliban wanted a free zone in Fata while the fact was that they wanted a passage where they and the government committee could freely come and go during the peace talks.
He said that during the second phase, the government may release more than 30 Taliban prisoners. “The release of detainees would lead to peace,” Chaudhry Nisar said, but added that it needed to be done from both sides. He maintained that the government would take all decisions within the ambit of prevailing laws and in the greater national interest.
Chaudhry Nisar said a number of issues came up for discussion during the course of talks and it wouldn’t be proper to divulge the details of the same. He assured that the government would take parliament into confidence once the parties reach some settlement. “The federal cabinet will also be brought on board at an appropriate time,” he said.
The minister termed the impression as ridiculous that the armed forces were not on board in the process of talks.
To a question about the comments offered by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that talks are just like asking the way from the blind, Chaudhry Nisar said he wouldn’t like to comment on the views of a child but the views have actually come from Asif Ali Zardari through his son. “They are the ones who have ruined this country and kept sleeping over the unabated destruction,” he said.
Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of the Taliban committee, who also addressed the media, said the process of actual dialogue has yet to commence but the ambience needed for the result-oriented talks has been created.
He said the atmosphere for talks has improved as a result of the government and TTP’s efforts.
To a query, the Maulana said the question of release of war prisoners would come at the end of the talks. He expressed the hope that the ceasefire would be extended further as the talks proceed in a positive manner.
Meanwhile, sources said government committee member Fawad Hasan Fawad and Chaudhry Nisar have submitted a preliminary report of the talks at the Punjab House to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Rahimullah Yusufzai also voluntarily provided assistance to the committees in the talks.
The minister said some of the 13 prisoners were included in the list provided by the Taliban to the government.
Chaudhry Nisar made this announcement while talking to media persons here at the Punjab House after a meeting of the government and the Taliban negotiations committees. He said the only demand of the government was permanent peace in the country. He said the negotiations process was passing though a sensitive phase as the unnecessary expression of views could harm the talks process. “We need commitment and positive thinking at this stage,” Chaudhry Nisar said.
“A few people are criticising the negotiations process but a majority of people are supporting the talks as every citizen wants peace in the county,” he said, adding, “What we achieved through negotiations is visible as no serious incident has occurred since the last few weeks.”
He said a military operation was not the solution to the issue, adding that it was very easy to conduct military operations or to adopt the option of hostility and aggression but the government needed a permanent solution to the issue, which was peace through negotiations.
The minister also objected to the role of the media in covering the peace talks. “Peace talks are no news for the media whereas sixes and fours are glorified,” he said, adding that the media highlights bomb blasts but undermines the peace talks.
“We will present our clear points before the Taliban during the second phase of talks, which are starting next week and the same is expected from the other side,” he said.
He said the second phase was very important and sensitive. “The government is pursuing a single point agenda — establishing peace in the country while remaining within the ambit of the Constitution.”
Chaudhry Nisar said all violent activities must stop. “As a goodwill gesture the government has decided to release at least 12 to 13 Taliban, and a few among them have also figured in the list provided by the Taliban to the government,” he said. He added that the government has already released 19 Taliban prisoners in the month of March. “This is a continuation of the programme to release non-combatant Taliban prisoners,” the minister said.
He said the government expected a similar gesture from the Taliban for the release of non-combatantant abductees, including Professor Ajmal, the sons of Yusuf Raza Gilani and Salman Taseer and many other government employees and foreigners who have nothing to do with the war.
Chaudhry Nisar said it was being misreported that the Taliban wanted a free zone in Fata while the fact was that they wanted a passage where they and the government committee could freely come and go during the peace talks.
He said that during the second phase, the government may release more than 30 Taliban prisoners. “The release of detainees would lead to peace,” Chaudhry Nisar said, but added that it needed to be done from both sides. He maintained that the government would take all decisions within the ambit of prevailing laws and in the greater national interest.
Chaudhry Nisar said a number of issues came up for discussion during the course of talks and it wouldn’t be proper to divulge the details of the same. He assured that the government would take parliament into confidence once the parties reach some settlement. “The federal cabinet will also be brought on board at an appropriate time,” he said.
The minister termed the impression as ridiculous that the armed forces were not on board in the process of talks.
To a question about the comments offered by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari that talks are just like asking the way from the blind, Chaudhry Nisar said he wouldn’t like to comment on the views of a child but the views have actually come from Asif Ali Zardari through his son. “They are the ones who have ruined this country and kept sleeping over the unabated destruction,” he said.
Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of the Taliban committee, who also addressed the media, said the process of actual dialogue has yet to commence but the ambience needed for the result-oriented talks has been created.
He said the atmosphere for talks has improved as a result of the government and TTP’s efforts.
To a query, the Maulana said the question of release of war prisoners would come at the end of the talks. He expressed the hope that the ceasefire would be extended further as the talks proceed in a positive manner.
Meanwhile, sources said government committee member Fawad Hasan Fawad and Chaudhry Nisar have submitted a preliminary report of the talks at the Punjab House to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Rahimullah Yusufzai also voluntarily provided assistance to the committees in the talks.
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