The government of Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have prolonged the ceasefire indefinitely and continue discussions to put an end to the almost two decades of militancy in the tribal border area. It has been decided to extend the ceasefire.
Significant progress has been made in Kabul discussions. People familiar with the situation have revealed that the truce was supposed to end last night, but is now extended for an indefinite time period.
During separate meetings with Mullah Muhammad Hassan Akhund, Acting Prime Minister of the ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA)’ in his office, sources told Dawn that the two parties had agreed to prolong the truce and continue peace discussions.
According to these same sources, the soft-spoken septuagenarian leader has shown his willingness for the discussions and truce to continue without a deadline.
In a subsequent joint meeting, the two sides prolonged the truce indefinitely and continue discussions to resolve the violence that has resulted in the mass displacement and killing of thousands of people in Pakistan’s tribal territory and the country at large.
TTP and IEA spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid both released statements earlier this month declaring a truce extension until May 30.
The truce has been extended indefinitely. Although no official announcement has been made, confirmation of this important event has been done by several officials.
Days of “intense and prolonged deliberations” in the Afghan capital, attended by top level delegations from both sides, have led to this result.
Sirajuddin Haqqani, the IEA’s acting interior minister and chief mediator, is credited with helping to restart negotiations, according to reliable sources.
Some of TTP’s requests were agreed to in order to show that the GoP was willing to proceed beyond preliminaries to official and organised discussions, according to the sources cited by the New York Times.
TTP Swat spokesperson Muslim Khan was among the militants demanding his release and presidential pardon.
There were several major requests from the TTP side, according to these sources, including compensation for those killed and injured, as well as implementation of Shariah regulations in Malakand.
In the Malakand division, the Shariah Nizam-i-Adl Regulation, 2009, is still in effect. Negotiations with the late Maulana Sufi Muhammad led to the creation of the legislation.
Sources close to the GoP said that although the GoP has no objections to certain of the TTP’s demands, two key difficulties remain: reversing FATA’s merger and disbanding the TTP as an armed terrorist organisation
A constitutional amendment merger was not up for debate, and indigenous people were the most important stakeholders, according to the GoP delegates at the conference.
According to the TTP, Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah made a vow to the tribal people to ensure their autonomy in an independent Pakistan.
As a result, they were assured that returning to the Frontier Crimes Regulation, which was a legacy of the British Empire and included nothing that could be termed ‘Islamic,’ would be the result of the merger. They were asked to identify legislation passed after the merger that they believed violated their traditions or the ‘riwaj,’ as they called them.
In addition, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has been debating the 25th Constitutional Amendment since March 2022, when some tribal elders submitted a petition against the union of Fata and KP.
The disbandment of the TTP, according to these sources, is another critical concern. There will be no armed groups permitted to enter or operating on Pakistani territory, according to a government delegation. – The IEA is completely on board with this discussion and has offered its input.
Sources say the next round of discussions will take place in Kabul during the second week of June, with a tribal jirga meeting directly with the TTP.
