ISLAMABAD: The chief of All Pakistan Muslim League, retired Gen Pervez Musharraf, welcomed on Sunday the Punjabi Taliban’s decision of giving up armed struggle in the country.

“Ending terrorist activities by Punjabi Taliban is a welcome decision and a victory of the armed forces of Pakistan,” the former president, who is at present in Karachi, said in a statement issued by the APML’s central secretariat here.

Tehreek-i-Taliban Punjab chief Asmatullah Muawiya announced on Saturday that his group had decided to abandon its armed struggle and instead would focus on ‘peaceful struggle’ for the enforcement of Sharia in the country.

Mr Musharraf expressed the hope that with restoration of peace in the country, economy would stabilise and investment would increase manifold.

He said the government should strengthen the hands of the armed forces, adding that instead of using state institutions to meet political design rulers should take such steps which would pave the way for political stability in the country.

Referring to the Model Town tragedy, he said it did not suit any government to be violent against peaceful and unarmed demonstrators.

The former president condemned the government for detaining supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek and termed it an ‘undemocratic’ act.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014