ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi on Thursday admitted that the release of jailed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in 2021 was a mistake.
During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Interior held here with Senator Faisal Rehman as the chairman, Mr Naqvi said the release of prisoners from the banned group had been done in the hope of improvement but this did not happen.
He noted that the rise in terrorism cases in the country being witnessed today is due to the release of those TTP prisoners. In November 2021, the government had released over 100 TTP prisoners as a “goodwill gesture” to reciprocate the ceasefire announced by the outlawed group earlier that month.
The officials also clarified that the prisoners were not released in compliance with any demand made by the TTP, which is currently in negotiations with the government.
Naqvi says no new operation will be launched
“The Taliban prisoners were released as a gesture of goodwill,” Naqvi said.
On 8 November 2021, the TTP announced in a statement that it had reached an agreement with the government to cease hostilities for one month.
“The ceasefire agreement between the government of Pakistan and the TTP will remain in force for one month. It could be extended if both sides agree,” the group said in a statement, adding that it would apply equally to both sides.
PPP Senator Shahadat Awan, during the Senate panel meeting, asked on whose orders the prisoners in judicial custody had been released.
He also wanted to know the identity of the released TTP prisoners and the charges against them.
The interior minister promised to provide detailed information on the matter at a separate meeting.
The Minister did not give a clear answer to Senator Irfan Siddiqui’s question on the status of 5,000 TTP families allegedly brought to Pakistan for resettlement in the tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) during the days of PTI in power.
Mr Siddiqui said the former prime minister had spoken publicly about his plan and that the 5,000 families would represent about 50,000 people.
He had sought to know the exact number of TTP men brought for resettlement and details on how many of them had been sent back to Afghanistan.
‘There is no new operation’
Responding to another question from Senator Irfan Siddiqui on Operation Azm-i-Istehkam, the Home Minister said that no new operation was being launched and blamed the media for creating such an impression.
He said that six points of the National Action Plan (PAN) have not been implemented and that the plan is to implement them.
“Therefore, no new operation has been launched,” Naqvi said. He also said that there were no plans to carry out operations in any specific areas. The group was also informed that the Punjab and Sindh governments were carrying out a joint operation against the bandits in the Katcha area.
Briefing the committee on the security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan, the Home Secretary said that helicopters were now being used for surveillance of the Diamer-Bhasha and Mohmand dams, while bullet-proof vehicles were being used to ferry Chinese engineers working on the projects.
Senator Umar Farooq said the security of ordinary citizens and not foreigners should be the government’s priority.
Mr Siddiqui, who also chairs the Senate’s standing committee on foreign affairs, objected to these comments and said these Chinese were not tourists or part-time visitors, adding that the Chinese were playing a key role in national security and economic development.
He said they were being targeted in a conspiracy to strain Pakistan’s relations with China, and the responsibility must be discharged to provide them with foolproof security.
Published in Dawn, July 12, 2024
