Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary said, opposition tried harder to send the government packing in its first two years, but all their efforts were in vain. They have to wait for another two years or may be five years more afterward, he added.
The opposition lacks leadership and vision, he said, giving an advise to the opposition to first strengthen themselves instead of focusing on plots to destabilize the government.
He said the government was fully stable and working on to win the next general elections in 2023.
To a query, the minister said he made a statement on the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Monday and made it clear that the negotiations would be going on with the group under the purview of the Constitution.
“All the groups, who we are talking to, have to respect Pakistan’s constitution and Pakistan legal framework. As far as the nature of talks is concerned we are very clear about that as well,” he added.
He said there were certain groups as obviously the TTP was not one group and comprised on several groups who had some ideologue and those who had joined it under compulsion.
“If all of them or some of them or part of them want to come back and they express their allegiance to the constitution of Pakistan and they undertake to respect the law of Pakistan, obviously, we give them a chance,” he emphasized.
The TTP had issued proclamation through which they announced ceasefire, he said, adding “Ultimately, the wars are fought primarily to bring peace, wars are not there for indefinite time period, you have to conclude the wars.”
“Our point of view is that right now Pakistan must talk from position of strength,” he said, adding the authorities in Afghanistan also wanted us to negotiate a deal with the TTP.
“We believe that they [Afghan authorities] have good intention towards Pakistan, we believe that new authorities in Afghanistan want peace in Pakistan. In their efforts, we would like to help them and also this phenomena that war should continue for indefinite that is obviously something we need to discourage,” he said, adding the government wanted peace in these areas which was only possible through talks.
“We have only agreed upon ceasefire yet and let’s see what more will be agreed when the talks move forward,” he said while responding to another query.
He said locals especially who were affected due to presence of the TTP are also being made part of the the negotiations.
People from tribal areas and the Pakistan Army soldiers actually bore the brunt of the war against terrorism, he added.
There was a complete transformation in their generations after 20 years war, he said, adding wars could not be perpetual.
To another query, Fawad said Pakistan’s government wanted inclusive government in Afghanistan having representation of Uzbek, Tajik and others. “But, we are also asking international community to help the humans in Afghanistan.”