Delay in talks as TTP claims responsibility for killing 23 FC men

ISLAMABAD / AKORA KHATTAK: After Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed it has killed 23 FC men, it was decided that the government committee and TTP negotiators will not be meeting on Monday, Express News reported. Senior journalist Rahimullah Yousufzai, who is one of the members of the government committee, said it was necessary to discuss the killings with the government before the state committee meets TTP negotiators. TTP also confirmed that the meeting, which was scheduled to take place at 11am today, will not be held. Coordinator of the government committee Irfan Siddiqui, who is Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Affairs, stated that it was pointless to meet the TTP intermediaries today after this new turn in the negotiations. The Mohmand Agency chapter of the TTP had claimed that it had killed 23 FC men taken captive earlier. According to media reports, Umar Khorasani of the TTP Mohmand Agency had claimed in a statement released late on February 16 that the 23 FC men had been kidnapped along with seven other officials from the Shongrai check post on June 14, 2010. He had said that the group had killed the 23 soldiers to avenge the “killing of Taliban prisoners in the government’s custody”. Yousufzai told Express News today that the government was negotiating with the TTP but the responsibility for killing FC men was taken by the Mohmand chapter of the banned outfit. He also said that the murder of the FC personnel will definitely be discussed in the meeting of the government committee as well. Express News reported that a session of the government committee will take place on February 18 to discuss the issue. The senior journalist also stated that it was not yet known whether the TTP Shura had ordered the murder or someone else did, adding that the killing of FC personnel was a troubling incident as pressure on the government has now increased. The TTP committee, on the other hand, is having a meeting in Akora Khattak today headed by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Samiul Haq (JUI-S) chief Maulana Samiul Haq. Negotiators TTP shura – Qari Shakil Ahmed Haqqani, TTP spokesperson Azam Tariq, Maulana Amir Islam, Commander Ahmed, Anwar Gandapuri, Quetta division leader known as Pir Sahab, Maulana Abdullah, Yasir and Commander Pashtun. TTP intermediaries – Prof Mohammad Ibrahim, Maulana Yousaf Shah and JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq. Government committee – Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Affairs Irfan Siddiqui, former ISI official Major (retd) Muhammad Amir, senior journalist Rahimullah Yousufzai, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former Pakistan ambassador to Afghanistan Rustam Shah Mohmand.