Peshawar: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) today announced a 5-day ceasefire in Khyber Agency from today in view of the ‘Pashtun Quami Jirga’ (Pastun national convention) to be held on October 11.
The announcement was made by TTP’s Amir Abu Mansoor Asim Mufti Nooruli Mehsud, who said the ceasefire will remain in effect till October 13 and during these days, his organisation should not be attacked by the enemy.
He said the ceasefire has been declared as a mark of respect to the traditional Jirga or a national court on October 11.
The TTP Amir stated that Ghazi and Mujahid Pashtuns have been dealing with various atrocities of the “slave” Pakistan army created by British colonialism for the last 77 years.
He said the Pashtuns got their freedom from the British Empire in the process of partition of India, but the Pashtun nation was invaded.
“The leaders of the Pashtun nation had decided to join Pakistan, according to an agreement. But in the last 77 years, this wealthy and slave (Pakistan) army has imposed wars on the Pashtuns for their self-respect, honor, land and religion,” he said in a statement.
Talking about the atrocities committed by the Pakistan army and the State, he said they usurped the natural resources of the Pasthun land and eliminated renowned scholars and national leaders.
“Two thousand young people have gone missing and a painful and sad tragedy of human history is taking place in which mosques, madrassas, schools, markets and commercial centers are bombed by the army,” the TTP Amir said.
“Hundreds of thousands of people were displaced from their homes, and then their mines and forests were usurped by this slave army. The series of these usurpations and atrocities has continued and we have not seen any signs of its end yet,” he said.
The TTP chief added, “We took up arms against this (Pakistan) Army due to compulsion and for the defence of our land’s freedom, protection of natural resources and stopping of the oppression of our people, whether Islamic, religious or permissible.”
He said the TTP supports those making similar efforts.
