'Wars end with talks,' Fawad Chaudhry says on govt's TTP reconciliation bid

• "Pakistanis who were detracked by inimical forces will be brought back into mainstream," Chaudhry says.
• Government will hold talks with those who follow the Constitution of Pakistan, Chaudhry says.
• Pakistan’s positive role in Afghanistan is evident before world and being acknowledged, he adds.

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said wars come to a halt through talks, a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan revealed the government was in talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The federal minister, addressing a public meeting in Pind Dadan Khan, said Prime Minister Imran Khan had presented an agenda for reconciliation with militants seeking a normal life.

"Those Pakistanis who were detracked by inimical forces, whether in Balochistan or elsewhere, will be brought back into the mainstream," Chaudhry said.

In line with the premier's reconciliation agenda, the government will hold talks with those who follow the Constitution of Pakistan, the information minister said.

He said more than 3,000 "disgruntled" Baloch youth had surrendered arms and rejoined the mainstream. "This step was vital to save the new generation from terrorism and violence and pave the way for a stronger Pakistan," he said.

Afghan war

The information minister said thousands of Pakistanis had laid down their lives in the Afghan war but fortunately, the Taliban had taken over Kabul "without shedding a single drop of blood".

He said since 2005, PM Imran Khan was calling for a political solution for the Afghanistan problem, but the world did not pay heed — but with time, the international community acknowledged the wisdom in what was said.

Chaudhry said when PM Imran Khan assumed office in 2018, he had asked then US president Donald Trump to start a dialogue for the resolution of the Afghan problem.

The minister said finally the US and the Taliban sat at the negotiation table due to the efforts of Pakistan, adding that it was a great achievement of Islamabad's political and military leadership that US troops’ withdrawal from Afghanistan was completed "without any bloodshed".

Chaudhry said the government was fearful of an influx of Afghan refugees but due to a peaceful change of regime there, no refugees came to Pakistan.

The minister said Pakistan’s positive role in Afghanistan was evident before the entire world and was being acknowledged.

He said Pakistan bore the brunt of the Afghan war as martyrs of the war against terrorism were buried in almost every graveyard in the country.

Chaudhry backs 'chance at a normal life' for TTP militants

A day earlier, Chaudhry supported a "normal life" for militants associated with the banned outfit TTP, who wish to pledged loyalty to the state.

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 yesterday, PM Imran Khan, speaking to TRT World’s Ali Mustafa in Islamabad, said that the government is in talks with "some" groups of the TTP for disarmament.

"I think some of the Pakistani Taliban groups actually want to talk to our government. You know, for some peace, for some reconciliation," the prime minister said.

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.