Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed said that talks are underway with some Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) groups seeking reconciliation, however, the case of those involved in the massacre of the Army Public School is different, reported 24News HD TV channel on Saturday. 

Speaking to the media, the interior minister said they knew who was good and who was bad, adding that “it is irrational to fight those who have laid down the arms.”

He ruled out the need for taking opposition parties into confidence on the move. He said, “There is no need to take the opposition into confidence as they are themselves thieves.” He said that the government was making a strategy for the next 20 years. He further said that the world scenario was going to change very soon.

He said that Pakistan wants good relations with both the US and China. Talking about the Afghanistan crisis, the minister gave an assurance of Pakistan’s every possible support in tackling the crisis. 

Sheikh Rashid further pledged to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country. He said, “We are ready to carry out dialogues on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).”  

In an exclusive interview with TRT World on Friday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that his government was holding talks with some factions of the banned TTP. He said that the Afghan Taliban were assisting the negotiations, however, nothing could be said on the success of the talks at this time.

“I think some Taliban factions want to talk to the government for peace and reconciliation and we are in contact with some of these factions,” Imran Khan said.