ISLAMABAD: Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik on Thursday said that the Taliban are operating from Afghan soil and on someone else’s instance.

Speaking during an interview with Radio Pakistan, the interior minister warned Taliban to surrender arms otherwise government is determined to take campaign against terrorism to its logical conclusion.

When asked to comment on reported statement of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman that they would retaliate if any operation was launched in North Waziristan, the interior minister said they do so at someone else’s instance.

“It is known that Maulana Fazlullah and Maulvi Faqir are operating from Kunar province of Afghanistan. It would not have been possible for them to carry out attacks on this side of the border, kill our people and take back their own injured without active foreign support,” said Malik.

“I ask Taliban to surrender arms otherwise government is determined to take campaign against terrorism to its logical conclusion,” he added.

Earlier on Tuesday, TTP spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan claimed in an E-mail message that the army had prepared a plan and was likely to launch an operation on Aug 26. He said the TTP had made preparations to counter the offensive.

“We have setup a Suicide Bombers Squad to welcome Army. We will defeat our enemy whom is defending secular, unIslamic system of Pakistan by punching them back hard InshaAllah,” he said.