Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said on Wednesday that efforts were underway to bring the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to the negotiating table but only on the condition to first lay down arms.

Addressing a press conference alongside Inspector General (IG) police Islamabad in the federal capital on Wednesday, the interior minister said that the National Security Committee (NSC) meeting agreed on zero-tolerance against terrorism and the implementation of the decisions taken in the meeting would be visible in the coming days.

The interior minister’s statement came shortly after the banned TTP threatened to target the top leaders of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari led Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) - the two major parties of the ruling coalition - if they continued to support tough measures against the militants.

“If these two parties remain firm on their position and continue to be slaves of the army, then action will be taken against their leading people,” said a statement issued by the militant group today [Wednesday].

PM Shehbaz while chairing the NSC meeting in Islamabad earlier this week emphasized that the war against terrorism would be led by federal and provincial governments as per National Action Plan in accordance with National Internal Security Policy with the people-centric socio-economic development as a priority while Armed Forces will provide resolute deterrence and secure conducive and enabling environment.

Sanaullah said that the presence of the banned outfit in Afghanistan was a reality, while the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) of all the provinces would be provided all-out support by the federation.

The minister assured that the federal government would provide maximum support and training especially to the CTDs of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan so that they could play their due role in curbing terrorism.

The interior minister while explaining the comprehensive plan against the new wave of terrorism across the country said that the relevant institutions were not only aware of the challenges faced in national security but were also engaged in taking necessary actions against the terrorists.

“All the personnel of law enforcement agencies are playing their role in foiling terrorist attacks and their sacrifices for the motherland will not go in vain,” he added.

All the institutions, he added, were working effectively to root out terrorism from the country and the nation should rest assured that terrorists would be dealt with iron hands.

Sanaullah also handed over a Rs10 million cheque to the widow of Police Head Constable Syed Adeel Hussain, who sacrificed his life in the line of duty by intercepting a suicide bomber in Islamabad’s I-10/4 Sector on December 23.

“Besides, the government will provide a housing unit to the family of its own choice, worth Rs 12.5 million, a full pension coupled with allowances to the martyr’s widow and bear educational expenses of the children, under the Prime Minister’s package,” the minister said while paying tribute to the martyred policeman here at a news conference.