Pakistan Begins Peace Talks with Tehrik-e-Taliban: Report

[SpArK]

Pakistan Begins Peace Talks with Tehrik-e-Taliban: Report
​

Pakistan government has started peace talks with the Tehrik-e-Taliban and other militant groups across the restive northwestern tribal areas in anticipation of an early withdrawal of NATO troops from Afghanistan, according to a media report today.

The move is a critical step in the transition to full Afghan control by the end of 2014 as announced by US President Barack Obama at a NATO summit in Lisbon last year, The Express Tribune newspaper quoted its sources as saying.

Initial talks were opened with Pakistani Taliban and affiliated militants before a recent wave of terrorist attacks across Pakistan, the sources were quoted as saying.

Both sides were "putting up their respective demands and their terms and conditions" to end militancy in the tribal areas and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, the sources said.

The authorities have made it clear to the Taliban and other militants that Al-Qaeda will not be given any role "at any level in these negotiations", the sources said.

Some Pakistani tribal elders are mediating between security forces and leaders of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant groups, they said.

Before opening the talks, authorities withdrew their support to anti-Taliban militias, popularly known as "Qaumi Amn Lashkar" or peace committees, in different parts of the tribal areas.

This left the militias at the mercy of the Taliban and other militant groups.

The situation encouraged Taliban to settle scores with these militias through attacks like the one on a funeral in Adezai area near Peshawar on March 9 that killed 44 tribesmen.

The attack prompted the head of the Adezai militia, Dilawar Khan, to warn the government that his men would be forced to seek other alternatives if material and financial support from the government is not extended within two days. The government chose to ignore these demands.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Senior Minister Bashir Bilour, a top leader of the Awami National Party, reportedly told the media that such militias were no longer useful.

He said the government will hold talks with militia leaders regarding threats from the Taliban.

The government does not want to antagonise the militants or the militias to "keep its o

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government paid compensation to the families of victims of the suicide attack in Adezai but refused to extend material help to the militias.

The government does not want to annoy the Taliban by supporting their "enemies" and it does not want to lose support of the militias to maintain pressure on the Taliban, the sources said.

The official protest by army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani against the killing of 44 people in a US drone attack in North Waziristan Agency last week was an indication that the government does not want to derail the peace process with the Taliban, sources told the daily.

The NATO decision to pull out troops from Afghanistan from this year prompted Pakistan to go in for a negotiated settlement with the Taliban and other militants, an official source said.

NATO defence ministers recently endorsed a plan to hand over responsibility for security in three cities, two provinces and much of Kabul to Afghan forces over the next few months.
FILED ON: MAR 21, 2011

news.outlookindia.com | Pak Begins Peace Talks with Tehrik-e-Taliban: Report

 

[SpArK]

Government opens peace talks with local Taliban​

By Qaiser Butt
Published: March 21, 2011

ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan has started peace talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and other militant groups across the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), in anticipation of early withdrawal of Nato troops from Afghanistan, informed sources told The Express Tribune.
The move is a critical step in transition to full Afghan control by the end of 2014, announced by US President Obama at a Nato summit in Lisbon last year.

The initial talks were opened up with the TTP, and its affiliated militants, prior to the recent wave of terrorist attacks across Pakistan, sources said.
“Both sides, at the moment, are putting up their respective demands and their terms and conditions to bring an end to militancy in Fata and other regions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,” sources added.

The authorities, however, have made it clear to the TTP and others that no role of al Qaeda is to be accepted at any level in these negotiations, sources said, adding that “some tribal elders from Pakistani territory are mediating between security high-ups and leaders of the TTP and other militant outfits.”

Abandoning the lashkars

Before opening these talks, the authorities had withdrawn their support to the anti-Taliban militias, commonly known as the ‘Qaumi Amn Lashkar’ in different parts of Fata, leaving them at the mercy of TTP and other militant groups.
The situation encouraged Taliban to settle their scores with these lashkars through attacks such as the one at a funeral gathering in Adezai area near Peshawar on March 9. The attack claimed 44 lives.

The attack prompted head of Qaumi Lashkar Haji Dilawar Khan to warn the government that his men would be forced to seek other alternatives if due material and financial support from the government is not extended within two days. The government chose to ignore their demands.
Meanwhile, senior minister K-P Bashir Bilour reportedly told the media that militias were no longer useful but added that the government would hold talks with lashkar leaders soon regarding the threats they face from the Taliban, for siding with the government.

Walking tight rope

The government, however, wishes to antagonise neither the militants, nor the lashkars, to keep its options open, sources explained.
The K-P government, therefore, paid financial compensation to the families of victims of the suicide attack but refused to extend material help to the lashkars.
It did not wish to annoy the Taliban by openly supporting their ‘enemies’ nor did it want to lose support of the lashkars to maintain pressure on the Taliban, sources added.

Official condemnation

The official protest by the Chief of Army Staff against the killing of 44 members of a peace jirga in Datta Khel, North Waziristan by an American drone attack last Thursday was an indication that the government does not want to derail the peace process with the Taliban, sources told The Express Tribune.

Strongly condemning the drone attack, the Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions Engineer Shaukatullah demanded a formal apology from Washington besides financial compensation to the victims’ families.
The incessant drone attacks are increasing chances of reprisals from the tribes and the US therefore must cease drone attacks with immediate effect, he said.

Shaukatullah, who hails from the tribal region of Bajaur himself, said the policy of targeting innocent civilians will boomerang and the peaceful citizens who lose their loved ones may turn into extremists out of sheer desperation.
It is the first time a federal minister has asked the US for a formal apology over drone attacks and financial compensation for the victims’ families.

Afghan pullout prompts talks

The Nato decision to begin its troop pullout from Afghanistan has prompted Islamabad to arrive at a negotiated settlement with the Taliban and other militants in Fata, an official source told The Express Tribune.

Nato defence ministers endorsed a plan earlier this week to hand over responsibility for security in three cities, two provinces and much of the capital Kabul, to Afghan forces over the next several months, commencing the critical first step in a transition to full Afghan control by the end of 2014.
US Defence Secretary Robert Gates urged other members of the alliance not to use the milestone as a reason to withdraw their forces, rebuking them for focusing too much on their departure from the war-torn nation instead of displaying “unity and commitment.”

“Frankly, there is too much talk about leaving and not enough talk about getting the job done right,” Gates said at the Nato headquarters in Brussels.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2011.

Government opens peace talks with local Taliban – The Express Tribune

 

[Irfan Baloch]

great news

Great News, according to the same “reliable source” Gen Kyani has grown a beard and issued a fatwa to all Pakistan Army personal to grow a beard immediately. Anyone failing to do so will be lashed 100 times butt naked in front of the crowd.

The same reliable source also quotes that Pakistan Government and Army has invited the Taliban leadership for a cup of tea in GHQ after which they will be entertained by lashing of the sinners and burning of the flags of the infidels. Gen Kyani has personally requested apology for playing golf and has given up smoking and now uses naswar or chewing tobacco that is personally sanctioned by Taliban fatwa council.

Gen Kyani and Taliban have issued an order to bring the person behind this reliable source so that he can be rewarded during the meeting in GHQ gardens.

 

[Mani2020]

What the hell Govt is doing ,they are messing up everything first when everyone was in favor of negotiations they went the other way around and now when everything has been ruined they want negotiations .someone plz check their skull and verify "do they have brains"

 

[Mujahid]

There can be no talks with these bloody animals.
Only danda is their solution.

 

[sur]

Firstly it is "Govt. doing talking" only as a cover,,, all such happens with signals from Army...
Secondly,,, we cannot go on killing innocents, even if there are RAW-trained terrorists infilterating these ppl, still that should NOT have us kill even a single innocent... Those RAW-agents have been in Pakistan before in form of Maulvis & Imam-masjids,,, They are again there brain-washing naieve ppl,,, There should be other ways to ferret them out & take to task,,, These RAW-agents have gained sympathies from locals & we should can revert those locals back ONLY thru talks... On other hand by bombing & droning them we are enraging them against Pakistan coz we allow such attacks & they would like to revenge demise of their loved ones by blowing up our loved ones,,, ofcourse with technical support by same RAW-agents, & guidence by CIA as well.

This vicious cycle can be stopped ONLY if we stop killing them indiscriminately & say sorry to them for supporting CIA--US forces & tell them how CIA & RAW working in colaboration have been inciting us against each other... You'll see ppl themselves dig-up those RAWs from among themselves & will be on our side,,, Like they had always been.

 

[jahangeer yousaf]

bulls*** forget it ......................talk for what just for another series of suicide attacks on innocent public ............. or something new this time

 

[Rain]

What they call it Yellow journalism or paid piper??? anyway this is all crap need to move fast into a DUSTBIN.

 

[DV RULES]

Indian media

 

[SpArK]

Indian media

Express tribune..it is...... read it properly before jumping as always...









Now make a comeback statement ...using usual vocabs.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Express tribune..it is...... read it properly before jumping as always...

So what? It is and will remain Bharti media as long as it published anything that the PDF pakistanis son't believe in.

 

[Spring Onion]

Express tribune..it is...... read it properly before jumping as always...

Now make a comeback statement ...using usual vocabs.

Benny one unethical thing which the Indian media adopted is copy pasting the entire "report" from others just by adding one line that so and so paper said and then it copies the entire report thats something which is very unethical

 

[Secret Service]

why dont we start peace talks with India who is funding and supporting this Taliban insurgency ......!

 

[SpArK]

Benny one unethical thing which the Indian media adopted is copy pasting the entire "report" from others just by adding one line that so and so paper said and then it copies the entire report thats something which is very unethical

They dont have exclusive reporters , hence they copy each other. Thats how it works both ways.

Well newspapers write anything that sells and the Indian media has clearly quoted express tribune and used most of its words.

Anyway the debate is not on media but on the original content , and i have no interest or knowledge whatsoever on the issues.

You guys are free to discuss or discard it.

 

[KS]

Benny one unethical thing which the Indian media adopted is copy pasting the entire "report" from others just by adding one line that so and so paper said and then it copies the entire report thats something which is very unethical

Why is there even a talk about Indian media here ? The story is published in The Express Tribune, which is some what credible (???) and even if there is a 50% chance this news being true, then it is a very bad news.