Govt in talks with some TTP groups for reconciliation: PM Imran

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the government is in talks with some factions of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) that are looking at peace and reconciliation with the country.

In an interview with TRT World in Islamabad, a part of which was posted on the channel's Twitter handle on Friday, the premier said that some of the groups actually want to talk to the government for reconciliation.

When asked by the interviewer if the government is in talks with the TTP, the PM said: “Yes, with some of them.

"There are different groups that form the TTP and some of them want to talk to our government for peace. So, we are in talks with them. It’s a reconciliation process," he said.

When asked if the government was negotiating with some of those TTP groups to lay down their arms, the premier responded:  "Yes, and then we forgive them and they become normal citizens.

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“I repeat, I do not believe in military solutions. I am anti-military solutions," responded Khan.

"I always believe that political dialogue is the way ahead, which I always believed was the case in Afghanistan.”

To a question whether Afghan Taliban were playing a role in the ongoing talks between the Pakistani government and the TTP, Khan said: “They are in a sense that talks are taking place in Afghanistan.

"In that sense, yes.”

When asked why the TTP was carrying out attacks on Pakistan's security forces when they were in talks with the government, Khan said it was just a "spate of attacks.”

“We might not reach some sort of conclusion or settlement in the end but we are talking," he added.

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Earlier this month, President Arif Alvi also hinted at a conditional amnesty for members of the TTP provided they were not involved in any criminal activity and that they surrendered their arms and accepted the Constitution of Pakistan.

However, the president emphasised that the TTP still posed a threat to Pakistan.

Sharing a similar view, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also said this month that the Pakistani government would be "open to giving" a pardon to members of the TTP if they promise not to get involved in terrorist activities and submit to the Pakistani Constitution.