Imran Khan ‘convinced’ Kayani on phased pullout from FATA

[A.Rafay]

ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan reportedly convinced army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani to administer a ‘phased withdrawal’ of troops from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas by initiating peace talks with militants, according to party officials.
“Sending military to tribal areas was a big mistake,” a senior PTI leader quoted him as saying to General Kayani prior to the All Parties Conference (APC) held at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat on Monday. “Having negotiations and fighting terrorism side by side is not a wise move.”
General Kayani, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director-General Lt General Zaheerul Islam stated that the military top brass agreed a ‘phased withdrawal’ of troops from Fata, said the PTI official.
During the meeting, he also conveyed his concerns to the ISI DG over militants’ attacks on jails in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Meanwhile, in his meeting with Prime Minister Sharif, the PTI chairman discussed matters relating to the security situation in Balochistan, Karachi and the tribal areas. “‘Give peace a chance’ should be the guiding central principle of the present government,” Khan was quoted as telling Premier Sharif.

A clear and loud message should be sent to Washington to respect Pakistan’s sovereignty by ending its drone campaign in the tribal areas, Khan put up his demand before the APC.
He raised other points at the multi-party forum in which he asked the government to quit the US-led war on terror, commence the dialogue process and start truth and reconciliation efforts for promoting peace in the country.
He urged the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government to take up the issue of drone strikes at the United Nations on a ‘now or never’ basis. “This will be a step in the right direction of proving that Pakistan is an independent state.”
The PTI chairman expressed his satisfaction over his meeting with General Kayani and Prime Minister Sharif, reads a statement issued by the PTI office. Khan termed the passage of a unanimous resolution at the APC “a beginning towards extricating the country from war on terror and moving towards a national holistic policy on counter terrorism”. It is a good start towards getting Pakistan out of the debilitating US war on terror, he added.
He hoped that now a comprehensive counter-terrorism policy and strategy would be swiftly drawn up and a dedicated institutional structure would be established to implement them. Needless to say, the APC was convened to do just that.

Imran Khan

 

[Jazzbot]

This is not as simple as that. I agree that "give peace a chance" should be the guiding central principle while dealing with TTP specially but the question is, are they ready for peace talks? If yes then at what terms? I don't think TTP is ready for any sort of peace talks, they don't want to lay down their weapons, they aren't ready to talk and they aren't ready to do give and take. You cannot succeed in peace talks with a group who is all out against you.

 

[Luftwaffe]

This is not as simple as that. I agree that "give peace a chance" should be the guiding central principle while dealing with TTP specially but the question is, are they ready for peace talks? If yes then at what terms? I don't think TTP is ready for any sort of peace talks, they don't want to lay down their weapons, they aren't ready to talk and they aren't ready to do give and take. You cannot succeed in peace talks with a group who is all out against you.

We do not know yet what is going to come in next 12 months, civil war in afghanistan is closing in once allied forces leave.

 

[Marwat Khan Lodhi]

British ignited the war in FATA by invading it, from 1852 to 1947 they had to send armies and carry out military operations to deal with "mad mullahs" and "fanatics"....thousands of british and tribals died in this 100 year duration but this low intensity war never stopped. In 2004 musharaf ignited this war again and committed the blunder of sending pak army to waziristan. This time its not disorganized tribal warriors or mad mullahs or faqeers. Its taliban who are above tribal and ethnic stratifications, highly organized militants capable of effectively operating beyond boundries of tribal areas....one way or another this war between taliban would continue, it would never end. The peace deal would be either broken by taliban or pak army. You people must understand that war and battles is way of life in FATA and afghanistan.it was stupidity to point gun at them for american dollars.

 

[Armstrong]

I still can't understand what are we going to talk about ?

Are the TTP willing to come down from their maximalist position of imposing their interpretation of the Shariah on the rest of Pakistan per force or are they going to stop blowing themselves up in our mosques, marketplaces & our schools ?

If not then what ever the hell do we talk to them about ?

And for those of us who still continue to languish in the same 'Drone Attacks Bunnnd Kar dooo' & 'Amreekaa ki Junggg sei Nikal Aooo' narratives - Enough of this charade !

Whatever Musharraf did or did not do - This has gone far....far beyond that & the response of the TTP is not even remotely proportionate to the wrong that Musharraf may have done to Pakistan & their Movement !

Let us be fair & honest to ourselves - No amount of BSh*tting about a 'Mercenary Army fighting for Amreekkaan Dollars' can take away the very real fact starring us right in the face that the TTP did not target Musharraf for the Ex-Army Chief isn't sitting in some small little mosque somewhere where a would-be suicide bomber happened to explore himself up nor was he anywhere near our schools, colleges & marketplaces where our women & children die with their innocence intact when some foOked up human firecracker decides to do his thing ! And for that to happen week in - week out without remorse, pity & in a completely indiscriminate way hardly implies that they - the TTP - are the aggrieved party taking their revenge from Musharraf & those who supported his Policies !

Did the 40,000 plus dead civilians allow the Drone Attacks ? Did they join the American led WOT or were they getting American Dollars ?

We have no choice but to fight them because these stupidities like 'talking to the TTP' aren't going to do sh*t because they're not going to stop, they're going to use this breather to consolidate their hold, to replenish & regroups their ranks & then finally do another Swat over us !

' Koi shukkk @Hyperion @Marshmallow @Secur @Dillinger @Icarus @notorious_eagle @Developereo @Spring Onion @Xeric @Irfan Baloch @Aeronaut @Manticore @Abu Zolfiqar

 

[Spring Onion]

Stupid move if true.

Army when entered FATA they were welcomed by people.

Lets make permanent cantonments in FATA and use the army for development there.


TTP must be fought out and phased out rapidly. TTP is no friend to anyone.

 

[Dillinger]

I still can't understand what are we going to talk about ?

Are the TTP willing to come down from their maximalist position of imposing their interpretation of the Shariah on the rest of Pakistan per force or are they going to stop blowing themselves up in our mosques, marketplaces & our schools ?

If not then what ever the hell do we talk to them about ?

And for those of us who still continue to languish in the same 'Drone Attacks Bunnnd Kar dooo' & 'Amreekaa ki Junggg sei Nikal Aooo' narratives - Enough of this charade !

Whatever Musharraf did or did not do - This has gone far....far beyond that & the response of the TTP is not even remotely proportionate to the wrong that Musharraf may have done to Pakistan & their Movement !

Let us be fair & honest to ourselves - No amount of BSh*tting about a 'Mercenary Army fighting for Amreekkaan Dollars' can take away the very real fact starring us right in the face that the TTP did not target Musharraf for the Ex-Army Chief isn't sitting in some small little mosque somewhere where a would-be suicide bomber happened to explore himself up nor was he anywhere near our schools, colleges & marketplaces where our women & children die with their innocence intact when some foOked up human firecracker decides to do his thing ! And for that to happen week in - week out without remorse, pity & in a completely indiscriminate way hardly implies that they - the TTP - are the aggrieved party taking their revenge from Musharraf & those who supported his Policies !

Did the 40,000 plus dead civilians allow the Drone Attacks ? Did they join the American led WOT or were they getting American Dollars ?

We have no choice but to fight them because these stupidities like 'talking to the TTP' aren't going to do sh*t because they're not going to stop, they're going to use this breather to consolidate their hold, to replenish & regroups their ranks & then finally do another Swat over us !

' Koi shukkk @Hyperion @Marshmallow @Secur @Dillinger @Icarus @notorious_eagle @Developereo @Spring Onion @Xeric @Irfan Baloch @Aeronaut @Manticore @Abu Zolfiqar

Area dominance is key when combating an entrenched insurgency. Even as the forces inflict casualties on the insurgents, the insurgents pull out and melt into the less populated areas or other zones of control (either isolated tracts within said area or other regions such as parts of Waziristan). An area that has been cleared (such deracination is rarely ever absolute, the point is to whittle the number of active anti-state combatants down to a manageable level) needs to be stabilized, with the army continuing its ground dominance patrols and active combat ops against remnants as and when necessary while the government moves in to start social upliftment and economic development projects. There is a good possibility that premature withdrawal could see a return of these insurgents if adequate ground work has not been done and if the local LEA and enforcement agencies have not been equipped to handle them.

Otherwise absent knowledge of the topography and population density of the region along with demarcations for TTP controlled and highly affected sectors (highly active field area) its best left to people like @Hyperion to comment on the specifics.

 

[livingdead]

Stupid move if true.

Army when entered FATA they were welcomed by people.

Lets make permanent cantonments in FATA and use the army for development there.


TTP must be fought out and phased out rapidly. TTP is no friend to anyone.

This is a welcome move. Post 2014, no drone strikes to rely on, hence its necessary to make friends now. It will save PA , and also keep FATA people happy as they will enjoy their lifestyle.

 

[Leader]

this is a hilarious news item... Kiyani is who? almost retired now..dead fish nothing more...

 

[Spring Onion]

This is a welcome move. Post 2014, no drone strikes to rely on, hence its necessary to make friends now. It will save PA , and also keep FATA people happy as they will enjoy their lifestyle.

They are enjoying their lifestyle rather they want to change it.

Time for development and they welcomed ARMY when first it entered FATA.

Time for more cadet colleges there and schools.

Road, water pumps all done by army

 

[Pakistani E]

so what happens now? will the militants disarm and surrender their weapons? or is this "phased withdrawal" basically a gift from Imran khan to Taliban to say here you go, you can have more territory and people to do your zulm on.

Can someone please explain please? Will the taliban now disarm?

British ignited the war in FATA by invading it, from 1852 to 1947 they had to send armies and carry out military operations to deal with "mad mullahs" and "fanatics"....thousands of british and tribals died in this 100 year duration but this low intensity war never stopped. In 2004 musharaf ignited this war again and committed the blunder of sending pak army to waziristan. This time its not disorganized tribal warriors or mad mullahs or faqeers. Its taliban who are above tribal and ethnic stratifications, highly organized militants capable of effectively operating beyond boundries of tribal areas....one way or another this war between taliban would continue, it would never end. The peace deal would be either broken by taliban or pak army. You people must understand that war and battles is way of life in FATA and afghanistan.it was stupidity to point gun at them for american dollars.

FATA is Pakistan, no amount of acting all tough can change that. It is a part of Pakistan, Pakistan army can go there whenever and however it wants. How can Imran khan talk about cleaning Karachi off weapons when his tribal brethrens claim them as their "jewellery".

 

[SQ8]

If that is what the Pakistani people want. To talk to the people that killed them, then it must be done. After all, not all of the militants are fighting to impose malignant and twisted interpretation Sharia on Pakistan and curb all rights other than what they see fit. Right?

 

[Marshmallow]

so what happens now? will the militants disarm and surrender their weapons? or is this "phased withdrawal" basically a gift from Imran khan to Taliban to say here you go, you can have more territory and people to do your zulm on.

Can someone please explain please? Will the taliban now disarm?



FATA is Pakistan, no amount of acting all tough can change that. It is a part of Pakistan, Pakistan army can go there whenever and however it wants. How can Imran khan talk about cleaning Karachi off weapons when his tribal brethrens claim them as their "jewellery".

dint in Karachi n Balochistan they had talks wid militants before trying any operation against them? US is doing it even in Afghanistan then why cant we?...when US does it then its fine but when IK suggests the same then he is being stupid n extremist or Taliban sympathizer?.....double standards!

all militants wudnt disarm but mayb some of them as there are many types of groups involved init....

 

[Pakistani E]

dint in Karachi n Balochistan they had talks wid militants before trying any operation against them? US is doing it even in Afghanistan then why cant we?...when US does it then its fine but when IK suggests the same then he is being stupid n extremist or Taliban sympathizer?.....double standards!

all militants wudnt disarm but mayb some of them as there are many types of groups involved init....

I was in Karachi when pak army went gun blazing in 1990s. They didn't talk to anyone.
In balouchistan they kidnap and kill separatists. No Negotiations. The thing is why Imran khan so naïve? if like you say there are diff groups then how do we know that those that don't want to disarm will now takeover more areas if pak army is gone.

And I don't care what the US does.

 

[Marshmallow]

If that is what the Pakistani people want. To talk to the people that killed them, then it must be done. After all, not all of the militants are fighting to impose malignant and twisted interpretation Sharia on Pakistan and curb all rights other than what they see fit. Right?

all IK is tryin to say is Give Peace a Chance