Pakistani Taliban issues threat to PPP, PML-N in major policy shift

Islamabad [Pakistan], January 4 (ANI): The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Wednesday announced that it was mulling decisive steps against the two major parties of the ruling coalition -- the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
"If these two parties remain firm on their position and continue to be slaves of the army, then action will be taken against their leading people," The Express Tribune quoted by TTP as saying in a statement.
"People should avoid getting close to such leading people," the outfit added. The TTP said the whole world is aware that the "Jihadi field of TTP is only Pakistan and our target is the security agencies occupying the country".
The announcement comes a day after Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Tuesday said there will be no talks with TTP or any other terrorist organisation, Geo News reported.
Sanaullah's remarks come amid a recent spate of attacks by the banned TTP after the group ended a ceasefire with Islamabad.
Talking about the National Security Committee meeting, in an interview, Sanaullah said Pakistan has decided to share evidence with the Taliban government as the terrorists based in Afghanistan were orchestrating terror directing at his country.
The Pakistan interior minister said Afghanistan had promised that its territory would not be used against any other country, and the Afghan government would be asked to fulfill that promise, Geo News reported. He said it has been decided in the NSC meeting that there will be no talks with TTP or any other terrorist group.
On Tuesday, the Taliban asked Pakistan to "avoid baseless talks and provocative ideas", two days after Sanaullah's said the country will target TTP hideouts inside Afghanistan.
"The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan wants peaceful relations with all its neighbouring countries, including Pakistan and believes in all the ways that can lead to achieve this goal," Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement posted on their Twitter handle.
In the statement, Mujahid said it was regrettable that Pakistani officials were making 'false statements' about Afghanistan. He said 'Islamic Emirate' is trying its best not to use the territory of Afghanistan against Pakistan or any other country.
"We are committed to this goal, but the Pakistani side also has a responsibility to resolve the situation, avoid baseless talks and provocative ideas, because such talks and mistrust are not in the interest of any side," he added.
This latest statement comes after the Taliban rejected comments made by Pakistan's interior minister about the presence of Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan.
The Islamic group said that it was prepared to protect the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. (ANI)