PTI distances itself from Imran's Taliban office statement

Published September 27, 2013
PTI law maker Asad Umar - File Photo
PTI law maker Asad Umar - File Photo

ISLAMABAD: A lawmaker for the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Thursday said that party chief Imran Khan's recent statement on Pakistani Taliban was not an official PTI policy statement.

Asad Umar, a lawmaker for Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI), stated in a conference that the idea for establishing an office for peacetalks with the Taliban was not an official party policy. He added that the statement only reflected the personal views of the PTI leader.

Umar added that it was wrong to criticise those who wished to use peacetalks as a way to fight the rampant terrorism in the country and come to terms with the terrorists. However, he added that peacetalks go hand in hand with cooperation from the other side.

Umar declared that it was a weakness to insist on peacetalks if terror attacks continued, saying that it was unfair to the country.

Earlier, Imran Khan had stated that it was imperative to have a political office for the Taliban where peacetalks between the government and the Taliban could be held. He insisted that the absence of such an office would hinder negotiations, assisting in the continuation of the decade-long war against terror.

He also referred to the Afghan Taliban office in Qatar officiated by the United States (US) government to facilitate the dialogue process some months prior, stressing that the government should take negotiations seriously.

Opinion

Editorial

May 9 fallout
09 May, 2024

May 9 fallout

A YEAR since the events of May 9, 2023, very little appears to have changed, at least from the political ...
A fresh approach?
09 May, 2024

A fresh approach?

SUCCESSIVE governments have tried to address the problems of Balochistan — particularly the province’s ...
Visa fraud
09 May, 2024

Visa fraud

THE FIA has a new task at hand: cracking down on fraudulent work visas. This was prompted by the discovery of a...
Narcotic darkness
08 May, 2024

Narcotic darkness

WE have plenty of smoke with fire. Citizens, particularly parents, caught in Pakistan’s grave drug problem are on...
Saudi delegation
08 May, 2024

Saudi delegation

PLANS to bring Saudi investment to Pakistan have clearly been put on the fast track. Over the past month, Prime...
Reserved seats
Updated 08 May, 2024

Reserved seats

The truth is that the entire process — from polls, announcement of results, formation of assemblies and elections to the Senate — has been mishandled.