New Delhi

In what is seen as a highly controversial statement, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has said his government is iholding negotiations with some groups of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), to strike a deal for reconciliation and granting them amnesty.

"There are different groups which form the TTP and some of them want to talk to our government for peace. So, we are in talks with them. It's a reconciliation process," Khan said during an interview with the Turkish Radio and Television  (TRT) World.

When asked if theis talking would lead to a deal and making the TTP lay down arms, the Prime Minister responded: "Yes, we forgive them and they become normal citizens."

The anchor really looked shocked as she repeatedly asks Khan what exactly will be the outcome of the talks with TTP. Khan is shiftly, fumbles repeatedly and qualifies his statements in each reply.

A short clip of the interview was shared on Twitter by many Pakistanis:

اگر آپکے پاس ہتھیار ہیں تو مُزاکرات ہو سکتے ہیں ورنہ اپوزیشن کی طرح نیب اور جیل آپکا مقدر ہے ۔۔۔۔#TTP #PMIK pic.twitter.com/jeRozWRo5y

— Sana Bucha (@sanabucha) October 1, 2021

This statement is controversial since TTP has launched an all out operation against the Pakistan Army and the State. The banned outfit was behind the assassination of former Prime MIniater Benazir Bhutto and the massacre of school children in Peshawar Army School.

When asked why the TTP was carrying out attacks on Pakistani security forces when they were in talks with the government, Khan said it was just a "spate of attacks".

"We might not reach some sort of conclusion or settlement in the end, but we are talking," he added.

Responding to another query on whether the Afghan Taliban were acting as mediators between the TTP and Pakistan, Khan said: "Since the talks were taking place in Afghanistan, so in that sense, yes," the report added.

Khan also told the anchor that "he didnt believe in military solutions and thus would prefer to hold negotiations with the TTP.'