TANK, Aug 12: The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has warned the government against going ahead with the execution of its members who are prisoners on death row and threatened to wage war against PML-N if the government ignored its warning.

A spokesman for TTP (Punjab), Maulana Asmatullah Muavia, said in a statement on Monday that the PML-N government “will have to pay a price” for the execution of TTP prisoners.

The statement was issued to media outlets in the region on Monday.

Maulana Asmatullah said the TTP had waged war against those political parties which had become “puppets in the hands of the military”.

“Some elements in secret agencies are trying to involve the PML-N in this war. But my organisation will exercise restraint,” the spokesman said.

Maulana Asmatullah said the government had issued death warrant for TTP prisoners in Punjab.

The previous government had withheld execution of prisoners who had been convicted by courts in heinous crimes.

Officials said around 8,000 prisoners, including some militants, in jails across the country were facing death penalty.

Human rights groups, especially Amnesty International, oppose death penalty in Pakistan.

Maulana Asmatullah said the PML-N leadership should keep in mind the fate of the Awami National Party (ANP) which, according to him, had been used by the army against the Taliban.

He said the ANP had been left alone and now the army was trying to use another political force against the Taliban.

The spokesman recalled the death of Taliban leader Waliur Rehman in a drone strike, contending that the motive behind his killing was to sabotage Taliban’s peace talks with PML-N and other political forces.

He alleged that the government had decided to execute TTP prisoners under US pressure, calling upon the federal interior minister to exercise restraint.

Maulana Asmatullah criticised those elements who, according to him, were in favour of talks with India, but opposed negotiations with Taliban.

He said the PML-N and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf should stay away from conspiracies being hatched by “pro-establishment and pro-Indian lobbies”.