ISPR terms Taliban threat to Islamabad baseless

The Director General, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Athar Abbas has outright rejected the (baseless) fears that Taliban could storm Islamabad. Talking to CNN, he said it is impossible for a band of only 200 Taliban, who had come to Bunir to storm the capital also.
No doubt Bunir is situated within a radius of 100 miles from the federal capital, however, the threat could not be measured in terms of distance rather it has to be measured in terms of capability and counter capabilities, he said.
There is a huge presence of law enforcement agencies in the aforementioned area. It is only rubbish and ridiculous to say that Taliban are threatening Islamabad, he added. There are some splinter groups, not even in control of Maulana Fazlullah or Sufi Muhammad, are creating problems. But the government is very confident that it would be able to deliver and enforce the peace agreement.
Further, he said there are not more than 50 Taliban in Bunir district, who have been recruited by Swati Taliban, left behind after the pulling out of Taliban.
After the agreement they were supposed to lay down their arms. If remained adamant, the troublemakers would be expelled from the area by the security forces, he said.
The government and Army were trying their best to honour the peace deal inked with Tehrik Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM). We hope that some problems would be overcome and militants would lay down their arms and stop fighting.
The Major General also said that the law enforcement agencies are determined to bring peace and normalcy to the valley.
Meanwhile, talking to Dawn news, he said the armed forces were exercising maximum restraint and would never allow Taliban militants to take over Bunir district. 'The military was closely monitoring the security in Malakand division. Military is fully supporting the government's reconciliatory efforts. So far the militants have not honoured their commitments. Durable peace can only return in Swat valley, when militants disarm themselves and surrender to the authorities,' he said.
Further, the ball is now in the militants' court. The TNSM Chief, Sufi Muhammad must fulfil the promises he had made to the government. The decision to launch any fresh offence rests with the political leadership, he added.