By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
PAKISTAN: Former federal minister Malik Waris Khan Afridi on Tuesday said that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan(TTP) leaders they held talks with them in Kabul also want peace in Pakistan.
Malik Waris Khan Afridi who was a member of the Jirga from Pakistan recently visited the Afghan capital Kabul and told The Fata Voice that TTP leaders met them in a friendly environment in Kabul. He said they held three rounds of talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. He said around sixty members of Jirga including parliamentarians and tribal elders had fruitful talks with the TTP leaders in Kabul. He said Molvi Faqir Muhammad and Noor Wali led the Tehreek-e-Taliban side in the jirga.
“It was the main demand of TTP to ensure their life protection if they return to Pakistan”, said Waris Khan. He added that they also agreed to bring peace to Pakistan, especially in the merged districts.
Afridi said that Emrat-e-Islami Afghanistan played an important role as a mediator in the two-day Jirga. He said it was also TTP’s strong demand to reverse the Fata merger which they considered an injustice with the tribal people. He added that they told TTP that the case of the Fata merger was in the Supreme Court and everyone should wait for its decision.
Malik Waris said Afghan Taliban leaders told the Pakistani jirga that they respect Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s fighters as they fought war along with them against the US-led Coalition forces in Afghanistan. He said the Afghan government told the jirga that their soil would not be used against any country.
He said the Afghan Taliban consider Pakistan as their second home and do not want instability in Pakistan.
Malik Waris Khan said the Pakistani jirga told Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan that they should be disarmed and must live a peaceful life when they return. He said they also told TTP that they should give an assurance not to regroup after returning to Pakistan.
Malik Waris Khan said Pakistani jirga demanded a two-year truce from TTP leaders which they rejected and agreed to only a months ceasefire. However, the parties would remain peaceful when talks going on, he added
Malik Waris Khan Afridi was quite optimistic and said that hopefully, the talks with TTP would continue.
Malik Waris said Pakistani authorities were also satisfied with the Jirga held between TTP and Pakistani elders and parliamentarians in Afghanistan.
Malik Waris Khan said at the end of the jirga a committee was also proposed to continue the peace process.
