Pakistan Taliban chief says group will negotiate, but not disarm

[Devil Soul]

Pakistan Taliban chief says group will negotiate, but not disarm
By Reuters Published: December 28, 2012
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The head of Pakistan’s Taliban said his militia is willing to negotiate with the government but not disarm, a message delivered in a video given to Reuters on Friday.
The release of the 40-minute video follows three high-profile Taliban attacks in Peshawar this month: an attack by multiple suicide bombers on the airport, the killing of a senior politician and eight others in a bombing and the kidnap of 22 paramilitary forces on Thursday.
“We believe in dialogue but it should not be frivolous,” Hakimullah Mehsud said. “Asking us to lay down arms is a joke.”
In the video, Mehsud sits cradling a rifle next to his deputy, Waliur Rehman. Military officials say there has been a split between the two men but Mehsud said that was propaganda.
“Wali ur Rehman is sitting with me here and we will be together until death,” said Mehsud, pointing at his companion.
Pakistani officials did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.
The Taliban said in a letter released Thursday that they wanted Pakistan to rewrite its laws and constitution to conform with Islamic law, break its alliance with the United States and stop interfering in the war in Afghanistan and focus on India instead.
Mehsud referred to the killing of senior politician Bashir Ahmed Bilour in his speech and said the political party, Awami National Party, would continue to be a target along with other politicians.
“We are against the democratic system because it is un-Islamic,” Mehsud said.
“Our war isn’t against any party. It is against the non-Islamic system and anyone who supports it.”
Pakistan is due to hold elections next spring. The current government, which came to power five years ago, struck an uneasy deal with the Taliban in 2009 that allowed the militia to control Swat valley, less than 100 km from the capital, Islamabad.
A few months later, the military launched an operation that pushed the militants back. The US military also intensified its use of drone strikes.
Now the Taliban control far less territory and the frequency and deadliness of their bombings has declined dramatically.
The Taliban’s key stronghold is in North Waziristan, one of the tribal areas along the Afghan border and the site of most of the hundreds of drone strikes by the United States.
Mehsud said in his interview that although he was open to dialogue, the Pakistani government was to blame for the violence because it broke previous, unspecified deals.
“In the past, it is the Pakistani government that broke peace agreements,” he said. “A slave of the US can’t make independent agreements; it breaks agreements according to US dictat.”
Mehsud said that the Pakistan Taliban would follow the lead of the Afghan Taliban when it came to forming policy after most Nato troops withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014.
“We are Afghan Taliban and Afghan Taliban are us,” he said. “We are with them and al Qaeda. We are even willing to get our heads cut off for al Qaeda.”

 

[OrionHunter]

This is the third thread on this topic!

 

[I-LEK]

Pakistan Taliban chief says group will negotiate, but not disarm
”

The Afghan Taliban and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Taliban is a Sunni Muslim Sufi Tariqa and earlier Naqshabandi Deobandiyskoy School.
Al-Qaeda (Wahhabi) - does not exist! =) Is the CIA and others. and stupid young people in their ranks.
dirty Osama bin Laden - the immortal)) to kill a million times and now he takes a seat in the White House (Obama)))
Taliban and al-Qaeda would never cooperate.
As well as Muslim guerrillas, will not cooperate with al-Qaeda dirty and co.

 

[babajees]

Video dispels reports of rift among Pakistani Taliban*ranks

Zahir Shah Sherazi and DAWN.COM | 52 mins ago

Screenshot from the 45-minute video in Pashto language shows the banned militant outfit Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud sitting alongside his deputy commander Waliur Rehman.—Dawn.com

PESHAWAR: A video released on Friday, showing Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief , Hakimullah Mehsud sitting with his deputy Waliur Rehman, dispells recent reports of a depeening rift between the two powerful militant commanders.
“There is no divide in TTP. I and Maulvi Waliur Rehman are one, and look, we are sitting together. The propaganda of a rift in Taliban ranks is totally untrue,” says Mehsud pointing to Rehman in the 45-minute Pashto language video, a copy of which has been received by Dawn.com.
According to reports published earlier this month, Pakistani military officials had said that the two top TTP commanders were at loggerheads with each other, with Mehsud having lost operational control of the Pakistani Taliban and the moderate deputy leader Rehman set to take over the reins of the feared militant group.
In the video, Hakimullah sitting besides Rehman, who commands the Mehsud Taliban, also rebuffed the notion that the two were at odds over talks with the Pakistani government, saying that “meaningful and serious dialogue” was always welcome and that the Pakistani Taliban were never opposed to it.
“We are and we have always been open to dialogue…but true talks. The Sararoga peace agreement solemnized by Amir Baitullah Mehsud is an example which was openly breached by the (Pakistani) government many times. Despite repeated requests by Governor Ali Muhammad Jan Orakzai, the rulers on the behest of their US masters violated the agreement and resorted to bloodshed in the tribal areas.”
“But I would say Pakistan has no authority to hold talks. If it dissociates itself from the Americans and gets ready for meaningful and free talks with the Taliban, we are ready to do it any time,” Hakimullah remarked, however adding: “We are though not interested in useless and baseless talks, with control from abroad.”
No question of laying down weapons
Seconding Mehsud’s stance, Rehman said that the idea of the militant outfit laying down weapons was out of the question.
“But yes, we can sit and talk and reach a consensus for ceasefire,” he said. “However, talks should be serious and free of any foreign pressure, which the Pakistani rulers are unable to resist.”
Answering an unseen questioner in the video, Rehman said that there is no concept of local or foreign fighters among the Taliban, adding: “All are mujahideen and are our brothers. The activities carried out recently were purely our own mujahideens and if needed we have foreign fighters who can be used any time.”
The TTP rose to prominence as an anti-state umbrella group of militants following a Pakistan Army raid on the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in 2007, which had been seized by allies of the group.
The video follows three recent major attacks in Peshawar claimed by the group, including rockets and suicide attacks on the airport, the kidnap of 23 paramilitary soldiers, and the killing of a senior leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) leader Bashir Bilour.
Speaking about the assassination of KP senior minister Bashir Bilour, Waliur Rehman said Bilour had played a major role in the war against the Taliban from Swat to Waziristan Agency, and that he was a staunch enemy and “enemies are dealt with in the same manner.”
The top commanders of the TTP also said that their fight was not specifically against the ANP, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), or the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), but against the “system which has enslaved the Pakistani nation”, accusing the political parties of “supporting it on the behest of the US and foreign masters.”
“I would clear one thing: our war is against the infidel ideology and not against individuals or one party. Anyone who would be supportive of this ideology, he would be on our hit list,” he warned.

Source: www.dawn.com

 

[Amaa'n]

Pakistan Taliban chief says group will negotiate, but not disarm
By Reuters Published: December 28, 2012
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The head of Pakistan’s Taliban said his militia is willing to negotiate with the government but not disarm, a message delivered in a video given to Reuters on Friday.
The release of the 40-minute video follows three high-profile Taliban attacks in Peshawar this month: an attack by multiple suicide bombers on the airport, the killing of a senior politician and eight others in a bombing and the kidnap of 22 paramilitary forces on Thursday.
“We believe in dialogue but it should not be frivolous,” Hakimullah Mehsud said. “Asking us to lay down arms is a joke.”
In the video, Mehsud sits cradling a rifle next to his deputy, Waliur Rehman. Military officials say there has been a split between the two men but Mehsud said that was propaganda.
“Wali ur Rehman is sitting with me here and we will be together until death,” said Mehsud, pointing at his companion.
Pakistani officials did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.
The Taliban said in a letter released Thursday that they wanted Pakistan to rewrite its laws and constitution to conform with Islamic law, break its alliance with the United States and stop interfering in the war in Afghanistan and focus on India instead.
Mehsud referred to the killing of senior politician Bashir Ahmed Bilour in his speech and said the political party, Awami National Party, would continue to be a target along with other politicians.
“We are against the democratic system because it is un-Islamic,” Mehsud said.
“Our war isn’t against any party. It is against the non-Islamic system and anyone who supports it.”
Pakistan is due to hold elections next spring. The current government, which came to power five years ago, struck an uneasy deal with the Taliban in 2009 that allowed the militia to control Swat valley, less than 100 km from the capital, Islamabad.
A few months later, the military launched an operation that pushed the militants back. The US military also intensified its use of drone strikes.
Now the Taliban control far less territory and the frequency and deadliness of their bombings has declined dramatically.
The Taliban’s key stronghold is in North Waziristan, one of the tribal areas along the Afghan border and the site of most of the hundreds of drone strikes by the United States.
Mehsud said in his interview that although he was open to dialogue, the Pakistani government was to blame for the violence because it broke previous, unspecified deals.
“In the past, it is the Pakistani government that broke peace agreements,” he said. “A slave of the US can’t make independent agreements; it breaks agreements according to US dictat.”
Mehsud said that the Pakistan Taliban would follow the lead of the Afghan Taliban when it came to forming policy after most Nato troops withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014.
“We are Afghan Taliban and Afghan Taliban are us,” he said. “We are with them and al Qaeda. We are even willing to get our heads cut off for al Qaeda.”

First of all please please please stick with one thread, I can't repeat myself again and again. anyhow few of my points on the bold part.

1) how we know his men were not holding a gun at his deputy's head and threatened him to execute if he moves.
2) If agree with the part that democracy is unislamic
3) so if democracy is unislamic does that mean killing innocents for the sake of sharia becomes islamic? somebody tell this guy ALLAH accepts the slaughtering of animals, not his best creation ; humans.

4) so if implementing sharia requires the blood of innocents. please i don't see a difference between invaders and you guys
5) I would love to see a video or atleast a comment by Al-qaeda if it stands true that you guys are one. because last time i checked, afghan talibans asked you to keep Col. Imam as a guest and you guys did what?....yeah executed him

 

[TalibanSwatter]

DAWN

WHEN is an offer to negotiate not really an offer to negotiate? When it is made by the TTP, it appears. First, Asmatullah Muawiya, leader of the so-called Punjabi Taliban, threw out a surprising feeler: give us a Sharia-compliant (read: the militants’ version of the Sharia) constitution in Pakistan and withdraw support for the foreign-led war in Afghanistan against the Taliban and the TTP may deign to negotiate with the Pakistani state. Then, the TTP spokesman, Ihsanullah Ihsan, a man whose proclivity to claim credit for virtually any attack inside Pakistan is matched only by the frightening possibility that he may well be right, endorsed the letter sent out by Mr Muawiya. Now, Hakeemullah Mehsud has appeared alongside Waliur Rehman in a 40-minute video and has been quoted as saying: “We believe in dialogue but it should not be frivolous. Asking us to lay down arms is a joke.” The joke, and a distasteful one at that, may well be on the Pakistani state and society.

In principle, talks with any enemy cannot be written off altogether; in practice, the business of truce and negotiations can be fiendishly difficult, and often counter-productive.

The history of negotiations and deals with militants fighting the Pakistani state is not very encouraging, and for good reason: the negotiations were not conducted from a position of strength; the enemy was not sincere; and an enforcement mechanism was missing. What that translated into was the militants’ taking advantage of the space afforded to them by the state to grow their networks and solidify their bases. All of this is well known enough. But Hakeemullah Mehsud has laid bare the deeper problems of negotiations with the TTP: their vision for Pakistan is antithetical to the vast majority of Pakistanis’ vision for this country. In Mr Mehsud’s reckoning, democracy is against Islam; armed militias who challenge the state’s authority have a legitimate existence so long as they pull around their shoulders the cloak of Islam; Pakistan should publicly and forcefully work for the return of Taliban rule in Afghanistan; and Al Qaeda is an ally worth dying for.
None of this leaves much room for negotiation. The TTP’s charter of demands essentially amounts to a surrender of the Pakistani state to the militants. Quite why the militants have chosen this moment to moot the idea of peace talks is less clear. The kidnapping of Levies personnel from the outskirts of Peshawar on Thursday only underscored the once-again rising tide of Islamic militancy.

Perhaps the militants understand that talking about peace will only make the elusive consensus against militancy in Pakistani society that much harder to achieve.

 

[Safriz]

Two more years and the Americans will be gone..and TTP funding will dry out..
Why bother negotiating with them now..?

 

[TalibanSwatter]

Irfan Husain

WINSTON Churchill is reported to have said: “An appeaser is a man who feeds a crocodile in the hope that it will eat him last.”

If that’s our security establishment’s strategy against the extremists, it’s not working too well: as of last count, over 5,000 soldiers and policemen had been killed by terrorists. In addition, of course, is the far longer list of civilian casualties, including some illustrious names: Benazir Bhutto, Salmaan Taseer, Shahbaz Bhatti and Bashir Bilour.

Against all those killed by jihadis, very few of the murderers have been arrested, much less tried, convicted and sentenced. In the wake of each high-profile killing, the cry goes up for the army to launch an operation in North Waziristan.

We also frequently demand that our judiciary retreat from its grandstanding, and return to its primary duty of trying criminals.

Above all, there is the recurring appeal for the state to do something, anything, to stop the Taliban and their ilk from continuing their deadly attacks.

These are all legitimate demands: no nation should have to suffer the escalating violence Pakistanis have been subjected to for some two decades. And yet there is no silver bullet, no panacea, to suddenly rid us of the horrors of extremism.

From the government, there is the constant refrain about forging a consensus before firm action is taken. This, of course, is rubbish and serves only as a feeble excuse for inaction: when criminals attack citizens, the state needs nobody’s approval to put a stop to their activities by whatever means it takes. Tomorrow, if Pakistan is attacked by India, would the army need a consensus to defend the country?

However, the truth is that an army operation will not only cause an instant and deadly backlash, but will also disperse the terrorists to other parts of the tribal areas. While this is no pretext for standing by, we must face the fact that after years of inaction and confusion over tactics, the Taliban have grown stronger, and they now have the initiative. Our police and army only react to their attacks, and very feebly at that.

Politicians like Imran Khan argue that we must enter into negotiations with our foes. But talk about what? The terms of surrender? Again and again, the Taliban have broken agreements, using the time they have gained to regroup. Meanwhile, our troops become demoralised at being regularly attacked without being able to use the full force at their command to hit back.

Suppose for an instant that by some miracle, our politicians, generals and judges suddenly started doing what they are paid to do. Courts sentenced all those found guilty of terrorism; our intelligence agencies stopped supporting favoured groups of terrorists; and the army moved against nests of killers currently holding villages in Fata hostage.

What then? The hard reality is that there are many ignorant, brainwashed foot soldiers of the jihad waiting to be sent into battle.

For a few thousand rupees and the promise of a sensual paradise, they will happily blow themselves up, taking their designated targets with them.

No, until the mad, violent ideology that sustains the jihad comes to an end, this swamp won’t be drained of its poison. This is a far harder battle to fight: tacit support for these killers is in evidence everywhere in Pakistan today. From the traders who donate to ‘Islamic causes’, to what passes for debate on our TV chat shows, we can see a clear link to the takfiri mindset of the Taliban.

While condemning the worst excesses of the jihadis, we can hear a lingering ‘but’ at the end of the sentence. Usually, this caveat refers to the American drone attacks: recently, in a BBC interview, the Jamaat-i-Islami spokesman said while he was against the attacks that killed nine (mostly women) polio vaccinators, why wasn’t the world equally concerned about the deaths of children killed in American drone attacks?

This cold-blooded attempt to look for moral equivalence between two entirely different acts reveals not only the widespread desire on the religious right not to annoy the Taliban, but also reflects the confusion so prevalent today.

How can the accidental killing of children by foreigners possibly justify the deliberate killing of unarmed volunteers that also condemns millions of children to the possibility of a life blighted by an avoidable and terrible disease like polio?

Unspoken support for the Taliban ideology is also evident in the rising popularity of right-wing politicians like Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri. The former’s extreme anti-Americanism brings him close to the Taliban who demand an end to the drone campaign because it is the only tactic that’s hurting them. And the latter’s appeal lies in his anti-democracy stance that’s also in line with the Taliban’s position.

One hard truth we constantly shy away from examining is that when a state is created in the name of an ideology, then that body of ideas is bound to dominate the public discourse. Today, if you speak to a student or a cleric about Jinnah’s vision for Pakistan, he simply won’t believe that the founder of Pakistan was a deeply secular person.

When I explained this to a student many years ago, he asked me: “If Mr Jinnah wanted a secular state, why did he partition India?” You can argue all you like about the distinction between “a homeland for the Muslims of the Subcontinent” and an Islamic state. Chances are that your point of view will be dismissed as meaningless sophistry.

So if the vast majority of Pakistanis are convinced that Pakistan is an Islamic state, an opinion confirmed by the constitution, then a number of things flow from this conclusion. Firstly, it is hard to argue against the demand that the Sharia should be the law of the land, together with all the consequences for women and the minorities.

What the rising tide of dogma has done is to strip our society of tolerance, an attribute essential for democracy. Tolerance is also what can hold a diverse society like Pakistan together. Without it, we get sucked into a bitterly divisive conflict over which school of Islam will dominate.

Ultimately then, we must confront and expel our inner demons. No army action will save us from ourselves.

 

[Secur]

Two more years and the Americans will be gone..and TTP funding will dry out..
Why bother negotiating with them now..?

Exactly ! When was the last time you saw Taliban offering to talk and cease fire ? Yes , when they were being nailed hard by the Pakistan Army in the " First Battle of Swat " , the Govt made a huge mistake back then ... They accepted their offer of talking , the Taliban took advantage of that reorganized themselves and established positions , implemented Islamic Laws in the area as per their demands , later they broke the truce , killed a couple of PA soldiers - not to forget the widespread murder of innocent people in the area and Islamabad realized the mistake ... That resulted in " Second Battle for Swat " which saw these psychopaths vanishing from Swat and adjoining areas ... I believe it is the same this time , the army is making massive progress in the fight against the militants hence the offer of " conditional cease fire " with ridiculous demands to make them look important and influential ... The army and the Govt has rejected this offer , saying the fight will continue until the end ... I believe its time " Hit them now , Hit them hard and they will run " ... I am sure their morale is battered ... With only North Waziristan under their rule , what exactly would we be afraid of ...

 

[Safriz]

^^ Pakistan dont need to make truce with TTP
Their influence and effectivity will go down now..
Peshawar Airbase attack is an example...
Despite high level of planning and using well trained operatives,they failed miserably.
TTP has given their best shots to Pakistan armed forces and they got no more surprises left....
PA should keep fighting,and 2014 American departure will surely break the back of TTP,as they wont get the Afghan safe heavens,weapons,training amd funding after that...

 

[babajees]

Two more years and the Americans will be gone..and TTP funding will dry out..
Why bother negotiating with them now..?

They are on very good terms with Afghan Taliban. They provide each other with safe havens. Both are against America as well. Peace through talks is the only way forward. The superpower America wasn't able to defeat the Taliban in 10 years, how can Pakistan defeat these mountain people who are ready to die anyways?

 

[Safriz]

They are on very good terms with Afghan Taliban. They provide each other with safe havens. Both are against America as well. Peace through talks is the only way forward. The superpower America wasn't able to defeat the Taliban in 10 years, how can Pakistan defeat these mountain people who are ready to die anyways?

Super power america defeated them when they wanted to.
Who were banished out of Kabul,to the mountains with their tails betweem their legs?
They too were taliban.
Later it was in benifit of USA to keep the 'scarecrow' alive as it gave USA's armed presence a reason.
Plus the so called Taliban,after the fall of Taliban government,were muppets used by USA.Why would USA defeat such useful tool?

 

[TalibanSwatter]

There can be no negotiation with the TTP. Like HM said, they want to dismantle the state, the system, the constitution.....everything. The goals is to set up a Salafi emirate that will be run by thugs taking their cues from Al Qaeda as well as their salafi militant supporters in Saudi Arabia.

That said, don't worry. The day of reckoning for these rabid dogs is coming ...and soon.