AFTER a long long time, the Government has started taking genuine and meaningful measures to bring anend to the environment of insecurity and promote the cherished objective of promoting national reconciliation.
Encouraged by developments in neighbouring Afghanistan, according to reports, three rounds of talks have so far been held with Afghanistan-based representatives of Pakistani Taliban and the two sides have moved closer to some understanding on some issues including release of some prisoners in exchange for a ceasefire.
Similarly, the recently signed accord with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) has also started bearing fruits as the Federal Cabinet, on Sunday, revoked its earlier decision of declaring the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) a “proscribed” organization under the anti-terrorism laws after the religious party made commitment that it will abide by the Constitution and laws of the country,
Some circles, for their own reasons and motives, are trying to portray the process in the negative light arguing that there should be no talks with those who have the blood of the innocent people on their hands.
They easily forget that continuation of the policy of confrontation not just increases the casualties but the resultant instability, uncertainty and insecurity badly affects the march of the country on the road to progress and development.
We have seen in Afghanistan that the option of use of force miserably failed in achieving the intended goals and ultimately the occupation forces have to withdraw in the garb of a dialogue process.
The policy of discussion and dialogue adopted by the Taliban as well as the general amnesty announced by them during the transition period helped avoid bloodshed and the country now has a strong central government focused at resolving other pressing issues facing the Afghan people.
It may also be pointed out that Pakistan Armed Forces carried out a successful operation against all types of terrorist outfits and as a consequence they fled to some safe havens in Afghanistan from where they operated freely during previous set-up in the neighbouring country.
One must give credit to the Taliban leadership which gave categorical assurance to Pakistan to take action against TTP elements if the dialogue process did not yield the desired results.
We believe that there was no harm in striking peace deals with militants provided they give firm assurances to lead normal life.
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, who is chief spokesman of the Government, has already made it clear that the talks were meant to wean away the reconcilable elements at a time when the group was at a weak point
He pointed out that not everyone in TTP was ideologically committed to the outlawed group and many of them were ready for reconciling with the state.
There is also an opportunity for hard core elements to review their approach and give up violence, otherwise, they can then be dealt with iron hand in close coordination with the new Afghan Government.
It is satisfying that the Government was talking to the militant groups from a position of strength and the other side now realizes that it cannot prolong confrontation given their past experience of fighting with a committed regular force and especially after assumption of power by the Taliban in Afghanistan, who have given a categorical assurance not just to Pakistan but also the entire international community that they would not allow the Afghan soil to be used against any other country.
This has also been confirmed by Pakistan’s Ambassador to Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, who said in an interview that the Taliban Government gave Pakistan an assurance to take military action against all militant groups.
Meanwhile, the steps approved to allow mainstreaming of the TLP would also, hopefully, produce the desired results.
The Government is living up to its commitments with the organization and it is up to the TLP leadership to prove that it was worthy of the confidence that the authorities have reposed in it and would not engage in activities that amount to challenging the writ of the state.
It is also high time that concrete talks should also be initiated with the Baloch estranged leaders so as to end continued instability in Balochistan, which has the potential to scale heights of progress and prosperity if durable peace is ensured.
