Bilawal Bhutto questions how Mehsud’s death sabotaged talks

Daily Times

The weekend death of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan leader Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone strike and the subsequent response from the Pakistani government prompted a series of critical tweets from Pakistan People’s Party Patron-in-Chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over the past three days. With the governments in the Centre as well as in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa accusing the US of sabotaging Pakistan’s hopes for peace following the killing of one of Pakistan’s worst mass murderers – responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians, soldiers and public figures – Bilawal gave up any pretence over the issue. In one of his Twitter posts, Bilawal said, “Kill our former PM, generals & soldiers we offer peace talks, one of TTP leaders are killed. Peace sabotaged.” He questioned the unconditional peace talks – on part of the government – offered to the Taliban, while the ‘terrorists’ were setting conditions. “Funny how TTP are allowed conditions 4 talks but we have to offer talks without pre-conditions,” he said in another tweet. “If there are good Taliban and bad Taliban are we allowed to say there are good drones and bad drones?” he said in another tweet, making it clear that he was not in favour of drones. “I’m anti-drone. But there’s a time and a place to be anti and now not it,” he tweeted. The son of slain PPP chairwoman Benazir Bhutto also questioned how peace talks that have not even begun could be derailed. “Day before strike, TTP said there had been no effort for talks on ground and Government of Pakistan was just talking on TV. How can one sabotage talks that haven’t started?” he said in another tweet. Bilawal also lamented over the government’s stance on Mehsud’s killing by tweeting, “The silent majority are celebrating while the cowards are in mourning on Hakimullah’s death.”