ISLAMABAD: The main opposition PPP has sought an explanation from the federal government over a statement by the newly appointed governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa calling for granting general amnesty to the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“The federal government must come out clean on the reported statement of the governor. Either it should distance itself from it or take the nation into confidence over this shift in policy,” said Farhatullah Babar while speaking during Zero Hour in the Senate on Thursday.

Soon after taking oath of the office on Wednesday, KP Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan said there was no harm in granting amnesty to militants if they submitted to the Constitution and “the government should grant a general pardon”.

“It is inconceivable that such a statement could have been made by the governor in his personal capacity and without the knowledge and direction of the federal government,” Mr Babar said. “Has the new governor been appointed to prepare ground and implement this new policy towards militants?”

The PPP senator said that such statements would demoralise security forces and lend strength to militants to push the country further down the slippery road to a dark abyss.

According to him, an across-the-board general amnesty would mean release of not only criminals in government custody but also of those who had been arrested, tried and convicted.

Later, the government came under attack from the opposition for not providing details of the militants who had been released on TTP’s demand.

Former interior minister Rehman Malik of the PPP warned of more terrorist attacks in coming days and said the Taliban had gone into the dialogue process as part of their plan to gain time to regroup.

“They required six-month time to regroup. They have achieved the purpose and even received fresh supplies,” Mr Malik said.

He alleged that Afghan intelligence agencies were fully behind the banned organisation which was evident from the fact that TTP chief Maulvi Fazlullah was moving freely in Afghanistan.

Mr Malik said the TTP had termed the recent attacks in Sabzi Mandi and Islamabad district courts “unlawful and un-Islamic”, but now refused to extend its ceasefire to carry out more such attacks.

PPP’s Raza Rabbani regretted that the government had released the Taliban prisoners even before announcing amnesty and was not providing the particulars of those released on TTP’s demand.

He rejected the government claim that the released men did not belong to the TTP. “What were the charges against them? If they were not from the TTP why it demanded their release?” he asked.

“It seems the dialogue process has come to a standstill,” he said and asked the government to end its “dithering”.

No-one from the treasury benches responded to the opposition’s outburst.