Staff Reporter Islamabad
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid on Monday said the government will only talk to those Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan groups who will lay down their arms and agree to abide by the Constitution of Pakistan.
In a weekly press conference, the interior minister clarified that the government will not talk to factions responsible for harming Pakistan’s interests and added that there will be no reconciliation with terrorist elements.
The minister said the Ministry of Interior had no role in the talks with the banned outfits nor has the premier as of now tasked the ministry to be a part of the dialogue process. He added that the policy of the prime minister regarding dialogue with the militant outfits will be followed.
Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan had revealed that the government of Pakistan was in the process of dialogue with some of the TTP factions for “peace and reconciliation”.
Speaking about the Pandora Papers that unveiled offshore assets of the global elite, including Prime Minister Imran Khan’s close aides, the minister said that there was nothing new in these leaks as “these names have been making rounds already”. The premier is looking into the Pandora Papers leaks, he added.