MNA Mohsin Dawar and Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed reportedly traded barbs during the latest meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security over the former’s harsh questions about talks with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
However, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took control of the situation and stopped the lawmaker and the army officer from further arguments.
Friday Times learnt from reliable sources that the meeting decided that the talks with the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) will continue and a committee of parliamentarians will be formed on the orders of the prime minister to oversee the negotiation process.
The meeting also decided that the talks with the TTP will be held on the terms of the government.
The committee was briefed by Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Inter-Services Intelligence Director General Nadeem Anjum and Lt Gen Faiz Hameed.
The military leadership made it clear in its unanimous message that they would not bypass the Parliament in the ongoing talks with the TTP.
In response to a question as to who allowed the army to start the talks without taking the Parliament into confidence, the military leadership said that they had met with the TTP to restore confidence, adding that negotiations will begin with the permission of the Parliament.
When asked as to how the TTP would remain peaceful in Pakistan, the military leadership said that everything would be according to the Constitution and no one would be allowed to return armed.
How can Pakistan even think of providing space and resources towards peaceful integration and rebuilding of TTP? These negotiations are a one way ticket to Stone Age.