Govt extends olive branch to PTM

NOWSHERA: Extending an olive branch to the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak on Saturday invited its leaders and members of parliament for talks.

“We want to bring the PTM into the national mainstream as the country is passing through a difficult period of its history,” Pervez Khattak, who is also the head of the government’s negotiating team, told reporters in his native Nowshera. The Defence Minister often visits Nowshera district on the weekend to meet the people in his constituency and also inaugurate projects. Member National Assembly Dr Imran Khattak and other local Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders were present on the occasion.

Pervez Khattak said the PTI governmnt believed in the politics of reconciliation. “The people belonging to the erstwhile tribal areas are patriotic and have rendered tremendous sacrifices for the country. Prime Minister Imran Khan wants to solve all issues through talks,” he added.

The Defence minister said issues would be discussed and steps would be taken to address them. He maintained that the development of the merged tribal districts was the priority of the government and the prime minister wanted all stakeholders to be taken onboard in this regard.

“The prevailing regional situation demands that all stakeholders must join hands to put the country on the road to development and prosperity,” he argued. Pervez Khattak said the country was in safe hands and the government was ready to meet any challenge. He came down hard on the Indian government for unleashing barbarism against Muslims in the occupied Kashmir and elsewhere in India.