ISLAMABAD: Speaking to media representatives in Islamabad, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s National Security Adviser Sartaj Aziz on Thursday said the targeted action in Waziristan was beneficial in the long run, adding that the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was not serious about peace talks.
The adviser made the above remarks as speculations abound that the government was on the verge of launching a major military offensive in North Waziristan in the face of recent brutal Taliban attacks and the apparent failure of peace talks with the militants.
Aziz had also previously acknowledged that dialogue with the Taliban had derailed, adding that the state's writ would be established in the troubled regions.
He moreover said the country's defence policy would soon be announced now that the internal security policy had been formulated and approved.
In response to a question regarding a policy shift in relation to Syria, the premier's adviser said any reports relating to sale of weapons to Saudi Arabia for use in Syria were baseless and misleading.
Speculation about a shift from Pakistan’s traditional policy of non-interference in the affairs of Muslim countries emanated from a joint declaration issued last week at the end of a visit to Islamabad by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud that called for the “formation of a transitional governing body” in Syria and media reports that Saudi Arabia was in talks with Pakistan to provide anti-aircraft and anti-tank rockets to the rebels.
Aziz dispelled the impression of a change in the government’s policy on Syria and said speculations surfacing in the media to that effect had no foundation.