It seems that the Pakistani Ulema have failed to convince the banned terror group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to drop their hardline stance against peace talks with Pakistan.
A delegation of the Pakistani Ulema went to Kabul in Afghanistan to hold peace talks with TTP. The 13-member delegation included religious scholars belonging to all sects of the Deobandi school of thought from Pakistan.
According to the details, the Pakistani Ulema met with TTP leader Noor Wali Mehsud and urged him to withdraw the demand for the reversal of the FATA merger in Pakistan. However, the TTP leadership refused to budge.
Read more: Pakistani Ulema in Kabul to discuss peace and education cooperation
To clarify, TTP is responsible for some of the deadliest attacks on Pakistan, including the Army Public School massacre in 2014. It regularly carries out attacks on Pakistan’s armed forces, resulting in retaliatory attacks. The two sides have also held peace talks on multiple occasions, resulting in temporary ceasefires which are violated by either side.
No breakthrough
This time around, the peace talks have reached a deadlock as TTP demands the reversal of the FATA merger which Pakistan has rejected. Apart from this, Pakistan has honored other commitments like releasing some TTP prisoners and quietly giving presidential pardons to a couple of their senior commanders, as reported by the media.
During the visit, the Pakistani Ulema used their good offices and influence over the TTP for a negotiated deal. But no breakthrough was achieved. As per sources, the Pakistani Ulema cited several religious edicts of Wifaqul Madaris against waging war against the Islamic State of Pakistan.
Read more: Won’t back down from our demands over FATA: TTP Chief
In return, the TTP leadership put forward an “eight-point rationale” for their refusal to shun violence against the state of Pakistan while politely refusing to entertain the request of Mufti Taqi Usmani.
په هغه لیک کې چې کابل نیوز ترلاسه کړی او TTP ته منسوب دی او کابل ته د ورغلو پاکستانی علماو ته لیکل شوی، لومړی له ا.ا څخه پکې مننه شوې چې دوی ته یې ددوی له استادانو (پاکستانی علماو) سره د ملاقات زمینه برابره کړه. pic.twitter.com/ouXMA7qz5d
— KABUL NEWS (@kabulnewstv) July 26, 2022
Interestingly, sources claimed that the TTP leadership could not trust the Ulema in the absence of concrete assurances from the military establishment which wields the real power in Pakistan.