Fawad Chaudhry backs 'chance at a normal life' for TTP militants wishing to pledge loyalty to Pakistan

• People wishing to follow Constitution should be given a chance to lead normal lives, Fawad Chaudhry says.
• Chaudhry says Pakistan has moved past hard times and sacrificed thousands of lives.
• PM Imran Khan had earlier revealed Pakistan was in talks with TTP for disarmament.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Friday supported a "normal life" for the militants associated with the banned outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), who wish to pledged loyalty to the state.

The federal minister's statement comes on the heels of Prime Minister Imran Khan announcing earlier in the day that the government is in talks with "some" groups of the TTP for disarmament.

Chaudhry, in a video statement, said: "Peace loving people who wish to follow the Constitution should be given a chance to get back to a normal life."

The information minister said the government seeks to move forward with the conditions laid down by the prime minister — who had called for the disarmament of the TTP.

Chaudhry said the state's policies are made in line with the situation at hand. "The people who could not fulfil their pledge of allegiance to Pakistan want to return to fulfill this pledge."

In Balochistan, more than 3,000 "disgruntled" people have come back to a normal life, who had fallen prey to India's conspiracies, the information minister said.

The information minister noted that the country had moved past tough times, sacrificed thousands of lives, and as a result, the state was able to "beat terrorist organisations like Al Qaeda".

Earlier in the day, PM Imran Khan, speaking to TRT World’s Ali Mustafa in Islamabad, said: "I think some of the Pakistani Taliban groups actually want to talk to our government. You know, for some peace, for some reconciliation."

When asked to confirm whether Pakistan is actually in talks with the TTP, the premier clarified to say that talks are ongoing "with some of them".

He said that the Afghan Taliban are "helping", in the sense that the talks are taking place in Afghanistan.

The premier said that these talks, for disarmament, if successful, will lead to the government "forgiving" them, "and then they [will] become normal citizens".

Following the premier's comments, the outlawed group, in a statement, announced a cessation in hostilities between TTP militants in South Waziristan and the army.

Our leaders have asked all fighters to observe a ceasefire from today to October 20, the TTP statement said.

The TTP said that their leaders are engaged in some "secret talks", without elaborating any further.