Peace talks: Taliban committee wants to meet President, PM, COAS & DG ISI
- February 6, 2014, 7:38 pm
- National News
- 135 Views
ISLAMABAD, Feb 06 (Online): The first session between the government and Taliban dialogue committees concluded at Pakhtunkhwa House here on Thursday.
According to a joint statement issued after the meeting, both committees have agreed to negotiate within the framework of the constitution.
The statement also said that both sides agreed to limit the scope of dialogues to troubled areas.
The joint press release also said that both the committees vowed to stop statements against each other.
According to the sources, the Taliban’s negotiation committee demanded to arrange its meetings with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, President Mamnoon Hussain, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Shareef and DG ISI.
The TTP also demanded to lift ban on Tehreek-e- Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The committee took the stance that the aim of the demand was to gain constitutional protection and to stop any act of challenging the peace talks process in courts.
The Taliban committee also demanded to arrange meeting with President, PM and the Army chief.
Taliban committee also demanded that the military should announce ceasefire.
The members of the committee said that the TTP would also respond in the same way if the government considered the demands.
Meanwhile the members of TTP committee also asked to reveal the names of their detained activists and demanded their release.
However, the negotiation committee of the government said that the issue of promulgation of Sharia and recovery of missing persons would be discussed later.
Earlier, the meeting of government and Taliban’s negotiation committees started at Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa House in a cordial atmosphere.
The sources said that The TTP committee may also raise the demand of promulgation of Sharia in Pakistan and recovery of missing persons during the next phase of the talks.
Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan telephoned the members of both committees and lauded their role and efforts for restoration of peace in the country.
Earlier, Member of Taliban Committee Maulana Samiul Haq telephoned Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and discussed ways to bring peace to the country.
Talking to Maulana Samiul Haq‚ Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the government has initiated dialogue process with all seriousness as it wants to normalize the situation.
He said the entire nation‚ including the government‚ is praying for the success of dialogues between the two committees.
Nisar Ali Khan said the government will extend full cooperation to its committee in talks with the Taliban team and reach a positive conclusion.
Maulana Samiul Haq appreciated the role of Interior Minister for promoting dialogue process and hoped it would yield positive results.
Both the leaders decided to remain in contact with each other to forward the peace process.
On the other hand, the government has consulted the legal experts to discuss the issue of lifting ban from Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
