Asif warns of full-scale operation if ceasefire violated

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said a full-scale military operation could be launched against Pakistani Taliban insurgents in the tribal areas as early as this month. Asif warned insurgents not to violate a ceasefire.

Mr Asif told Reuters in an interview that the government would not hesitate to bomb militant hideouts or send forces into the tribal areas if the Taliban did not abide by the ceasefire announced last week.

"It will not take months now. We'll have to march in the month of March," Asif said, describing the government's response if insurgent attacks continued.

"If there is a ceasefire, it has to be complete. Without that, we just can't afford to have talks with the Taliban."

In February, Pakistan launched talks with the Taliban to find a negotiated settlement. But hopes of a peace deal have been crushed by a series of attacks and counter-attacks by both sides.

"We won't just take this lying down," the defense minister said. "If we are attacked, the state is attacked, civilians are attacked, military personal are attacked, we will retaliate. We will retaliate in kind."

For a government long considered soft for pursuing peace talks, Asif said there were now very few takers for the argument that the Taliban are truly committed to dialogue.

"The Taliban have not even condemned this so-called splinter group four days after the attack. They are saying, 'We have not violated a ceasefire, these are peripheral groups, they are not under our control,'" Asif said.

"But we cannot believe this."

When asked about reports that talks may be re-launched, this time with the military in the driving seat, he said: "The army's input is very valuable. They are the people on the frontlines. They have to execute our decisions."