The government and the armed forces will never accept the Taliban’s demand for the release of more than 4,000 of their militants arrested over several years, but they may ‘categorize’ the men and release some of them to appease the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said Rustam Shah Mohmand, a member of the committee negotiating with the Taliban on the government’s behalf.
He also said the government would not accept any demands for a parallel system of governance. That means there is no space for an emirate or caliphate in Pakistan, and the constitution will continue to be the supreme document.
“We have made it clear (to the Taliban representatives) that the government will never accept control or monopoly of any particular group in the tribal areas or elsewhere,” he said.
The TTP must lay down arms, he said, and accept the writ of the state. Asked how the group would accept this demand, he said hopes were high because the Taliban had themselves expressed the wish to bring the conflict to an end.
A former ambassador to Afghanistan, Mohmand is probably on the most difficult mission of his life. He admitted the task was arduous and at times nerve-racking.
[quote]We are concerned with ground realities, and will not be encumbered by legal problems[/quote]
The Taliban leadership has rejected the constitution of Pakistan in the past, calling it the law of infidels. But Rustam Shah Mohmand said the dialogue would take place under the ambit of the constitution. “No decision will be made outside the scope of the constitution. The other side must accept this fact.”
Representatives of the Taliban have already met with the TTP Shura and returned with a set of 15 demands, including the imposition of Sharia, the release of TTP prisoners, withdrawal of armed forces from the tribal areas, and compensation for drone victims.
Mohmand said the two committees were meeting with open mind and eager to discuss all issues on the table. He hinted that the Taliban might show flexibility on their demand of imposing Sharia throughout the country.
“There have been, at least, nine agreements with Taliban in the past. In none of the agreements have they demanded Sharia in the country. We are hoping it will not become a stumbling block for the entire dialogue process,” he said.
All previous agreement with Taliban fell apart. Analysts say they were lopsided and the government had signed them from a position of weakness. Asked if there was any guarantee a new agreement would succeed, he said the highest authorities on both sides would approve the agreement.
The mandate of his committee, he said, was to put the insurgency to an end and give a better system of governance to the people of the tribal areas. “The role of political agents and local Maliks is very important. And we foresee their role will be better institutionalized to fill the vacuum in those areas.”
Political agents and tribal elders, or Maliks, have been the favorite targets of Taliban militants. Hundreds of Maliks were massacred because they spoke and acted against the insurgents and backed the government’s peace drives in the past.
But Mohmand said the withdrawal of the armed forces from the tribal areas would not be a difficult decision. The government could enhance the capacity of the Frontier Constabulary to deal with law and order in FATA.
Former interior minister Rehman Malik has said in a recent statement that the government was violating the Anti-Terrorism Act by holding talks with the TTP. The law forbids the government to engage a banned outfit in dialogue, he said. Meanwhile, the ministry of law has sought the clarification from the interior ministry on a few legal hitches.
But Rustam Shah Mohmand said his team was more concerned with ground realities, without getting encumbered by legal problems.
The two committees were already heading towards the first milestone, he said – the announcement of a ceasefire. Mohmand said a formal announcement of a truce will give a great deal of confidence to the negotiators, and drastically reduce the ongoing violence in the country.
But while the two sides mull their options, violence refuses to die down. Bomb attacks on civilians and security forces continue unabated. The TTP is disassociating itself from the recent violence, but given its past, many are not ready to trust the militant group.
Shahzad Raza is a journalist based in Islamabad
Twitter: @shahzadrez
He also said the government would not accept any demands for a parallel system of governance. That means there is no space for an emirate or caliphate in Pakistan, and the constitution will continue to be the supreme document.
“We have made it clear (to the Taliban representatives) that the government will never accept control or monopoly of any particular group in the tribal areas or elsewhere,” he said.
The TTP must lay down arms, he said, and accept the writ of the state. Asked how the group would accept this demand, he said hopes were high because the Taliban had themselves expressed the wish to bring the conflict to an end.
A former ambassador to Afghanistan, Mohmand is probably on the most difficult mission of his life. He admitted the task was arduous and at times nerve-racking.
[quote]We are concerned with ground realities, and will not be encumbered by legal problems[/quote]
The Taliban leadership has rejected the constitution of Pakistan in the past, calling it the law of infidels. But Rustam Shah Mohmand said the dialogue would take place under the ambit of the constitution. “No decision will be made outside the scope of the constitution. The other side must accept this fact.”
Representatives of the Taliban have already met with the TTP Shura and returned with a set of 15 demands, including the imposition of Sharia, the release of TTP prisoners, withdrawal of armed forces from the tribal areas, and compensation for drone victims.
Mohmand said the two committees were meeting with open mind and eager to discuss all issues on the table. He hinted that the Taliban might show flexibility on their demand of imposing Sharia throughout the country.
“There have been, at least, nine agreements with Taliban in the past. In none of the agreements have they demanded Sharia in the country. We are hoping it will not become a stumbling block for the entire dialogue process,” he said.
All previous agreement with Taliban fell apart. Analysts say they were lopsided and the government had signed them from a position of weakness. Asked if there was any guarantee a new agreement would succeed, he said the highest authorities on both sides would approve the agreement.
The mandate of his committee, he said, was to put the insurgency to an end and give a better system of governance to the people of the tribal areas. “The role of political agents and local Maliks is very important. And we foresee their role will be better institutionalized to fill the vacuum in those areas.”
Political agents and tribal elders, or Maliks, have been the favorite targets of Taliban militants. Hundreds of Maliks were massacred because they spoke and acted against the insurgents and backed the government’s peace drives in the past.
But Mohmand said the withdrawal of the armed forces from the tribal areas would not be a difficult decision. The government could enhance the capacity of the Frontier Constabulary to deal with law and order in FATA.
Former interior minister Rehman Malik has said in a recent statement that the government was violating the Anti-Terrorism Act by holding talks with the TTP. The law forbids the government to engage a banned outfit in dialogue, he said. Meanwhile, the ministry of law has sought the clarification from the interior ministry on a few legal hitches.
But Rustam Shah Mohmand said his team was more concerned with ground realities, without getting encumbered by legal problems.
The two committees were already heading towards the first milestone, he said – the announcement of a ceasefire. Mohmand said a formal announcement of a truce will give a great deal of confidence to the negotiators, and drastically reduce the ongoing violence in the country.
But while the two sides mull their options, violence refuses to die down. Bomb attacks on civilians and security forces continue unabated. The TTP is disassociating itself from the recent violence, but given its past, many are not ready to trust the militant group.
Shahzad Raza is a journalist based in Islamabad
Twitter: @shahzadrez