Gandapur offers to lead talks with Taliban, claims Fazlur Rehman's influence has faded
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has claimed that Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman no longer holds influence over the Taliban and offered to take charge of negotiations with the group, Express News reported.
Speaking to journalists in Islamabad on Friday, he said, 'Maulana Fazlur Rehman's influence over the Taliban has ended. Give me the task—I will bring them to the table.'
He revealed that a plan for talks with the Taliban had been submitted two and a half months ago, but no progress has been made. 'I've sent a plan for negotiations with tribal elders to the foreign and interior ministries, but haven't received a response. The Taliban cannot refuse the tribal elders,' he stressed.
'If I'm given the task, you'll see me sitting with [Taliban leader] Akhundzada tomorrow. There's been no contact with the Taliban yet, but send me, and talks will begin,' he asserted.
He also remarked that two years ago, when he roamed the mountains, low-level Taliban leaders were in touch with Fazlur Rehman, 'but today I am the chief minister—and tomorrow, I might not have any value.'
Reflecting on the general elections, he said, 'On election day, we were hiding in the mountains. We held no public rallies. Out of 95 Union Council chairmen, only three were ours; the rest were missing.'
Earlier, while addressing an Iftar gathering, Gandapur said the K-P government has overcome its financial challenges and currently has a surplus of Rs159 billion, while Punjab faces a deficit of Rs148 billion.
'There's talk of corruption in our province, but if corruption existed, how could we have a surplus? If this is corruption, then every province should have it,' he quipped.
Calling for political stability, he said, 'The founder of PTI must be released. Only his release can restore political stability in the country. Things were normal before the PTI government was removed; now terrorism and lawlessness have surged.'
He also stressed the need for dialogue with Afghanistan. 'We share thousands of kilometers of border with Afghanistan. Whenever I speak of talks, there's opposition. Even during the PDM government, it was decided to engage with the Taliban.'
Gandapur reiterated the necessity of a national dialogue for the country's improvement. 'No dialogue can happen without the release of the PTI founder. No battle can be won without the support of the people. To win the war against terrorism, public trust is essential—we must move forward with public opinion,' he concluded.
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