Daily News Report 11 sept 2013
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar on Tuesday said a dictator had sent the army to Fata under foreign pressure. He said the PML-N government had worked out a framework for talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) but the federal government was waiting for suggestions and opinions from the provinces.
He said negotiations with the Taliban will be held in a dignified way in the national interest. The minister said the Taliban had welcomed the government’s offer to hold a dialogue, which is a good gesture.
He was addressing a media conference at the Punjab House to highlight the outcome of the All Parties Conference (APC).“A framework of negotiation with the TTP has been prepared under the government’s umbrella but we cannot expose it at this stage,” Nisar said.
“Let the demands come from the other side but there is no need for a quick fix in the process of negotiation,” he said adding it was premature to say who would lead either side.
“We have to decide on one option: fight or negotiate. If we come to a dialogue, we have to do it with complete sincerity and if we hurl threats at the otherdialogue, peace process will be sabotaged,” Nisar said.
He said media and political parties will be taken into confidence in finalisation of the framework.The APC was a remarkable achievement of the democratic forces, Nisar said. “All the parliamentary leaders belonging to different political parties were on the same page with regard to national interests. No personal or party agendas were pushed during the meeting,” he maintained.
The interior minister said if political leaders continued to join hands for national interest, security situation would improve by leaps and bounds.He said the APC did not decide to hold talks with the Taliban to pave way for a military operation, nor was it being conducted on any foreign pressure. “The choice of negotiation with Taliban is Pakistan’s home-made decision, not imposed from any other side,” the minister said.
He said that the military leadership presented their viewpoint clearly and openly. The government has not yet started any formal dialogue with Taliban, Nisar averred. “A framework for talks is ready but I cannot disclose its details now,” he maintained.
Nisar also clarified that a news story claiming that Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had, during the meeting, said that certain ‘journalists’ were trying to create misunderstandings, was baseless, adding that he didn’t listen the ward ‘journalist’ during his talk. “The army chief never used the word ‘journalist’,” said the interior minister.
Nisar asked media of maintaining caution while airing news involving national issues like negotiations with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
A misreport or negative news can sabotage the dialogues, he said, while a positive one can help the situation. Media will have to show more responsibility, as it could play vital role in the success of the negotiations.
“We should examine reasons behind terrorism,” Nisar said. He said there war no terrorism till 2004 but it was unleashed post 9/11 following a ‘wrong decision from a dictator’, causing carnage in the country. Thousands of army men and civilians were killed in terrorism, he said.
“It was blowback of 9/11 when the foreign forces attacked Afghanistan, while, no Pakistani or Afghan was involved in 9/11 episode,” Nisar said.
Some media sections were of the view that strong steps should be taken against terrorist outfits, which could be right as thousands of innocent people had killed by the terrorists, Nisar said adding, “We should not ignore victims of drone attacks in Northern Areas in which hundreds of innocent children, woman and elderly people have been killed.”
The interior minister said that it was easy for government to hurl threat to terrorist outfits but it was not solution of the chronic issue. He said, “We have to explore the way to pull the country out from terrorism and maintain peace. Negotiation is the best solution as violence begets violence.”
“Some forces want to sabotage peace process in the region and are active against harmony but political and military forces showing consensus on negotiation with TTP, conveyed them message that we are one nation and believe in peace,” Nisar said.
Commenting on the situation in Karachi, the interior minister claimed that there had been a marked improvement in the city during the last few days. He said that Karachi operation was led by Rangers.
He said Rangers have conducted 74 intelligence-led targeted operations during the last five days and held at least 158 suspects, recovered 111 heavy weapons and 1862 ammunitions of different calibers. General holdups, snap-checking, and targeted raids were conducted on credible tip-offs, he said.
“The suspects include extortionists, target-killers, street-criminals, etc. A large number of them admitted having affiliations with different political parties,” Nisar said. The police have arrested 516 gangsters involved in street crimes. “Downward trend in crimes was found during the last five days,” Nisar said.
Responding to a question regarding peace in Baluchistan, the minister said chief minister Baluchistan has been authorised to arrange dialogues with the ‘other party’, adding that APC on Baluchistan issue would also be held in near future.
He said extortion collection in Sabzi Mnadi of Islamabad was a wrong perception and the media misquoted the IGP’s statement. He said it was the matter of providing security to shopkeepers and venders, however, solution of the issue has been sought out.
Earlier, Nisar passed the direction that the Ministry of Interior shall observe seven-day working week, in view of the security situation prevalent in the country. Although since he took over as the interior minister, the ministry has been working seven days a week but formal orders to this effect have been passed now.
Senior officers and their subordinates are required to work on rotational basis to prevent wearing out and fatigue. Duty roster has been approved and administration wing has also been directed to provide every possible facility in this regard.
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