report in The News, Dec 29, 2022
LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan has said his government had been negotiating with the Afghan Taliban government resettlement of some 40,000 Pakistani Taliban, including 5,000 to 10,000, militants, but the new government did not pay much attention to this issue and the country is facing terrorism now, reports Geo News.
He said the Pakistani Taliban, who had fought the Americans and were mostly Pahstuns from earstwhile tribal areas of Pakistan, had been asked by the Afghan Taliban (when they took over Kabul) to go back to Pakistan, and added that his government had started negotiations with Kabul for their resettlement.
“So unfortunately when my government went, I was taken off the ball, the new setup and the military establishment did not pay enough attention to what was happening with the resettlement of the Taliban coming in, so we had this wave of terrorism coming in …. that needs to be dealt with,” Imran Khan added.
Imran Khan said that foreign policy of Pakistan was not up to the mark. He said that we kept fighting others’ wars for dollars. He said that the difference between Afghan Taliban and Pakistani Taliban should be observed.
He was addressing the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), Diwaniyya, via video link as he engaged with scholars, academicians, policymakers and students from Turkiye and abroad. He said that the current government was unfortunately not paying attention to the Afghan policy. He said his government was dismissed soon after the Afghan Taliban took control of Afghanistan, which led to the resurgence in terrorism in the country…..
KASHMIR
He also mentioned they told the world about the Indian atrocities in Occupied Kashmir during his tenure and raised their voice for the oppressed people of Kashmir at all international fora. He said despite the Indian atrocities, Kashmiris are standing up for their rights. He urged the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to raise its voice on injustice against the Muslim countries.
Imran Khan opined that India will have no choice but to give rights to Kashmiris soon. He mentioned that political issues are always resolved through dialogue and nuclear war will be tantamount to a suicide attack on the entire world. He said Pakistan’s nuclear assets are for the protection of its people. He said India, which has fought three wars with Pakistan, is many times more powerful than us, but the nuclear weapons have stopped any misadventure.
Pakistan’s nuclear weapons are to stop India from any adventure. Ever since Pakistan became a nuclear power, there has been no war with India, he said.
The former premier said Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir issue is very clear. He said the dispute between the two nuclear powers over Kashmir is a huge misfortune. Modi increased the conflict by changing the status of Kashmir. Imran Khan said he doesn’t believe in nuclear weapons and military solutions……….
https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/1024904-pti-govt-negotiated-pakistani-taliban-s-resettlement-with-kabul-imran
