News Analysis: Pakistan Army chief rejects Taliban offer for talks with conditions
English.news.cn 2013-05-01 17:25:14
by Muhammad Tahir
ISLAMABAD, May 1 (Xinhua) -- In no uncertain terms, the Chief of Pakistani Army, General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani on Tuesday rejected the Taliban's offer for talks with conditions and instead asked them to end their rebellion if they want to join the national mainstream.
In February, the Taliban had said that they would join the peace dialogue but only if the government releases their detained five leaders and a guarantee that their three political and religious leaders would not be arrested. The Taliban also refused to lay down their arms during the peace dialogue.
The government has ignored the conditions demanded by the Taliban but the Pakistani Army has not publicly responded to the Taliban initiative.
However, General Kayani, speaking to thousands of relatives of those security men who died in the fighting against the Taliban and other armed groups in the garrison city of Rawalpindi late Tuesday has ruled out talks with the insurgents unless they surrender and abandon their rebellion.
"We sincerely desire that all those who have strayed and have picked up arms against the nation, return to the national fold. However, this is only possible once they unconditionally submit to the state, its Constitution and the rule of law. There is no room for doubts when it comes to dealing with rebellion against the state," the army chief said in a written speech, aired live by all TV channels.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP had earlier stated that they would not talk to the political government and will await response from the Army as all powers are with the armed forces. The Army, however, had clarified that the political government will make a decision on the matter.
This is the first time that General Kayani came up with an unequivocal statement that if the Taliban want to rejoin the mainstream, they have to end fighting the state and must accept the Constitution.
Without specifically identifying foreign entities, Kayani has also accused "external enemies" of igniting the flames of the unrest in the country.
The Army Chief also slammed those certain elements in Pakistan, who claimed that the armed forces are fighting an American war.
"I would like to ask all those who raise such questions that if a small faction wants to enforce its distorted ideology over the entire nation by taking up arms and for this purpose defies the Constitution of Pakistan and considers all forms of bloodshed justified, then, does the fight against this enemy of the state constitute someone else's war?" Kayani asked rhetorically.
Kayani reminded the critics that even in democratic states, treason or seditious uprisings against the state have never been tolerated and in such struggles their armed forces have had unflinching support of the masses and questions about the ownership of such wars have never been raised.
General Kayani said the country cannot afford to confuse soldiers and weaken their resolve with such misgivings, saying that no one should hurt the sentiments of these "saviors of the nation through our words and deeds."
With the Army chief's statement, the Taliban have now received a categorical response to their dialogue offer and now the ball is in their court and it is up to them whether to give up violence or face the full force of the military establishment.
Pakistan has lost nearly 50,000 people, including security personnel, since the country joined the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against terrorism that began in 2001. The country also suffered nearly 70 billion U.S. dollars in damage and lost economic opportunities during the period.
Pakistanis from all walks of life are now fed up with the daily terror attacks waged by the Taliban and other militant groups and they want the government, particularly the military, to put an end to this campaign of terror so that the country can finally move forward.
News Analysis: Pakistan Army chief rejects Taliban offer for talks with conditions - Xinhua | English.news.cn
English.news.cn 2013-05-01 17:25:14
by Muhammad Tahir
ISLAMABAD, May 1 (Xinhua) -- In no uncertain terms, the Chief of Pakistani Army, General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani on Tuesday rejected the Taliban's offer for talks with conditions and instead asked them to end their rebellion if they want to join the national mainstream.
In February, the Taliban had said that they would join the peace dialogue but only if the government releases their detained five leaders and a guarantee that their three political and religious leaders would not be arrested. The Taliban also refused to lay down their arms during the peace dialogue.
The government has ignored the conditions demanded by the Taliban but the Pakistani Army has not publicly responded to the Taliban initiative.
However, General Kayani, speaking to thousands of relatives of those security men who died in the fighting against the Taliban and other armed groups in the garrison city of Rawalpindi late Tuesday has ruled out talks with the insurgents unless they surrender and abandon their rebellion.
"We sincerely desire that all those who have strayed and have picked up arms against the nation, return to the national fold. However, this is only possible once they unconditionally submit to the state, its Constitution and the rule of law. There is no room for doubts when it comes to dealing with rebellion against the state," the army chief said in a written speech, aired live by all TV channels.
The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP had earlier stated that they would not talk to the political government and will await response from the Army as all powers are with the armed forces. The Army, however, had clarified that the political government will make a decision on the matter.
This is the first time that General Kayani came up with an unequivocal statement that if the Taliban want to rejoin the mainstream, they have to end fighting the state and must accept the Constitution.
Without specifically identifying foreign entities, Kayani has also accused "external enemies" of igniting the flames of the unrest in the country.
The Army Chief also slammed those certain elements in Pakistan, who claimed that the armed forces are fighting an American war.
"I would like to ask all those who raise such questions that if a small faction wants to enforce its distorted ideology over the entire nation by taking up arms and for this purpose defies the Constitution of Pakistan and considers all forms of bloodshed justified, then, does the fight against this enemy of the state constitute someone else's war?" Kayani asked rhetorically.
Kayani reminded the critics that even in democratic states, treason or seditious uprisings against the state have never been tolerated and in such struggles their armed forces have had unflinching support of the masses and questions about the ownership of such wars have never been raised.
General Kayani said the country cannot afford to confuse soldiers and weaken their resolve with such misgivings, saying that no one should hurt the sentiments of these "saviors of the nation through our words and deeds."
With the Army chief's statement, the Taliban have now received a categorical response to their dialogue offer and now the ball is in their court and it is up to them whether to give up violence or face the full force of the military establishment.
Pakistan has lost nearly 50,000 people, including security personnel, since the country joined the U.S.-led coalition in the fight against terrorism that began in 2001. The country also suffered nearly 70 billion U.S. dollars in damage and lost economic opportunities during the period.
Pakistanis from all walks of life are now fed up with the daily terror attacks waged by the Taliban and other militant groups and they want the government, particularly the military, to put an end to this campaign of terror so that the country can finally move forward.
News Analysis: Pakistan Army chief rejects Taliban offer for talks with conditions - Xinhua | English.news.cn
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