Malik asks Taliban to announce 30-day ceasefire for talks

Interior Minister, Rehman Malik Wednesday asked the Taliban to declare a 30-day ceasefire if they want dialogue with the government.

It was the first formal government’s response to the Taliban dialogue offer to end their attacks, which have killed nearly 40,000 people including security forces, in the past 10 years.

“The government is ready to hold dialogue with Taliban provided they announce ceasefire and appoint some sincere religious scholars to achieve purposeful results,” Malik told reporters in Islamabad.

“If Taliban are sincere in holding talks, they should have announced a ceasefire and formed a Jirga, (council of elders) comprising some serious and thoughtful people,” he said.

Taliban have not yet responded to the government’s fresh proposal however they had previously rejected similar calls.

The Interior Minister said Taliban should know that people of Pakistan have seen their actual face and the nation would not forgive the crimes of killing innocent citizens.

“The nation has rejected Talibanization. Taliban should announce ceasefire first to hold talks,” he said, adding that the overstayed Taliban in Pakistan were not set free rather they were deported.

Taliban spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan, in a video message released the media on February 4 had proposed conditional talks with Pakistani government and had sought guarantee of three main opposition political and religious leaders, including former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif.

Nawaz Sharif had asked the government to immediately start talks with the Taliban. However, he had refused to become a guarantor, saying that he cannot trust the government.

Malik advised the Pakistani Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mahsud and his deputy, Waliur Rehman, that their spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan is ‘not loyal’ to them and they should remain careful.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Feb 13 2013. Filed under Latest News, National, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.