In the interview clip below, you can hear Khan tell Ali Mustafa that if the TTP members surrender, they can be forgiven.

Reactions to his comments were swift on Twitter, most of which expressed outrage, especially as TTP claimed responsibility for the brutal attack on APS in 2014.

Pakistan banned the TTP in 2008.

There were also questions as to how could the government be negotiating with a group it once described as being funded by India's intelligence.

There seemed very little support for the government's strategy from the opposition.

Journalists also expressed concern about how such negotiations would be perceived on a global platform.

Some journalists called it a surrender.

Some were particularly upset to hear Khan describe the recent attacks by TTP on Pakistan military as "just" a spate.

In a surprise development, Ehsanullah Ehsan, who still has ties to the TTP appeared on a Twitter Space Friday night negating any talk of negotiations or a ceasefire.

It appears there's some confusion as well about who the government is negotiating with on this matter as well.