The interior minister said the government was making serious efforts to proceed with the negotiations.. PHOTO: REUTERS
The government has formed a new committee to hold direct talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as part of efforts to end years of violence that has plagued the country.
Officially, the government confirmed the formation of the new committee, but did not provide any details about its composition. However, officials told The Express Tribune that the reconstituted committee comprises only bureaucrats.
Ports and Shipping Secretary Habibullah Khattak would head the four-member committee which will include Fata Additional Secretary Arbab Arif, Additional Secretary to Prime Minister Office Fawad Hassan Fawad and former diplomat Rustam Shah Mohmand, who was in the previous negotiating team as well, officials said.
They added that with the formation of the new committee, the earlier panel, which established initial contacts with the TTP, stands dissolved.
After this decision, Taliban intermediaries, led by Maulana Samiul Haq, met with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to discuss future strategy. During the meeting, the two sides agreed that there should not be further delay in the negotiation process as this would only benefit those who wanted to sabotage the peace dialogue.
In an effort to expedite the process, Taliban intermediaries would travel to North Waziristan Agency today (Thursday). The visit would decide the timing and venue for face-to-face talks between the new government negotiators and the TTP. Maulana Samiul Haq hoped the move would pave the way for a peace deal.
The interior minister, according to an official statement, said the government was making serious efforts to proceed with the negotiations. The government would welcome those who were willing to talk, but would take action against those who attempted to undermine peace efforts, he added.
Nisar said the formal talks with the TTP would begin the moment the timing and venue for the dialogue was decided.
Military back govt’s efforts
Separately, military chiefs threw their weight behind the government’s efforts to fight the menace of terrorism.
In a meeting chaired by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Rashad Mahmood at the Joint Staff Headquarters, Rawalpindi, on Wednesday, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee reaffirmed the resolve of the armed forces to fight the menace of terrorism under a comprehensive strategy within the policy parameters set by the political leadership.
“Participants expressed their satisfaction over the standard of preparedness of Armed Forces to take on the upcoming challenges being faced by the country,” an official statement stated.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2014.
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