ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Imran Khan said Friday that his government is in talks with some of the groups of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also dubbed as Pakistani Taliban, to achieve peace and reconciliation.
According to an excerpt from an interview to TRT television which will be aired on Saturday, PM Imran khan said, “We are in talks with some of them so that we forgive them, they become normal citizens and there is reconciliation. There are different groups which form the TTP.”
He said the talks with TTP were taking place in Afghanistan. To a question, PM Imran emphasised, “I do not believe in military solutions. I am anti-military solutions.” PM Imran Khan also said, “I always believe as a politician that political dialogue is the way ahead which I always believed was the case in Afghanistan.” “We might not reach some sort of conclusion in the end, a settlement but we are talking,” he added.
On Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan also said that Pakistan wanted lasting peace in Afghanistan and desired a representative government there in line with the aspirations of the Afghan people. The prime minister was chairing a review meeting on the current situation in Afghanistan.
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed the prime minister on his participation in the UN General Assembly Session and sideline meetings with other world leaders. In these meetings, the current situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s position on human rights violations by India in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) were fully highlighted.
‘Refugees’ mass exodus’
Prime Minister Imran Khan Friday said that the positive messages and constructive measures by the international community would help prevent instability in Afghanistan and mass exodus of refugees.
The prime minister, in a meeting with Danish Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod, who called on him here, said that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was vitally important for Pakistan and the region.
He recalled his earlier conversation with Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Fredericksen and said that they had a fruitful exchange of views on the situation in Afghanistan as well as bilateral relations.
The prime minister stressed the need for international community’s constructive engagement to prevent humanitarian crisis and economic collapse in Afghanistan and to help build durable peace and stability in the country. He underlined that an inclusive political structure was important for stability of Afghanistan.
The prime minister expressed satisfaction at the growing cooperation between the two countries.
He added that Pakistan was committed to further diversify bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade and investment and renewable energy besides increasing people-to-people contacts between the two countries.
There was detailed exchange of views on climate change and the need for concerted efforts by the international community to mitigate its adverse effects.
The Danish foreign minister appreciated Prime Minister’s 10 billion tree initiative and a range of measures taken by Pakistan towards climate resilient development.
The prime minister also underscored the significance of mobilizing scaled up and predictable international climate finance to support climate actions in the developing countries.
Jeppe Kofod conveyed gratitude of Danish government for Pakistan’s support and facilitation for evacuation of their nationals and others from Afghanistan.
He also reaffirmed Denmark’s commitment to further strengthen bilateral ties and briefed on cooperation between the two countries, including through the proposed Green Partnership Agreement.