Peace talks will not be successful without ceasefire: Prof Ibrahim

On Apr 16, TTP announced not to extend ceasefire but said that peace talks with govt will continue.

PESHAWAR: The peace talks will not be successful without a ceasefire, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) intermediary Professor Muhammad Ibrahim told Express News on Thursday.

The Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz government began the dialogue process with the TTP through negotiators in February to try to end the seven-year insurgency.

Just yesterday, the TTP had ended the ceasefire it had declared on March 1 and extended on April 4 for another six days. The group, however, had said that peace talks with the government will continue.

Today, Prof Ibrahim said that the they will contact the government regarding the TTP concerns which have come forward through the media. He reiterated that they will meet the TTP leadership to persuade them to extend the ceasefire.

The senior Taliban intermediary had earlier said the Taliban had not disengaged from the dialogue process. At the same time, he had called upon the government to take steps for bridging the trust gap.

The government had called off surgical air raids against suspected hideouts of the Taliban in tribal regions after the TTP declared a month-long ceasefire on March 1.

On April 16, Taliban spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid had accused the government of failing to make any progress on the Taliban’s demands. “The TTP Central Shura has unanimously decided not to extend the ceasefire,” he had said in a statement.

He had added, however, that the dialogue process will continue with complete ‘sincerity and seriousness’ that could keep hope alive for a halt in violent attacks. “The TTP will not be reluctant to take serious steps if the government makes some progress on our demands.”