Peace dialogue: Nisar to meet with TTP committee on Saturday

Interior minister says ending of ceasefire questions objectivity of dialogue, insists talks solution for reservations.

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said on Thursday said that a meeting with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) committee has been convened on Saturday to discuss the future course of action, Radio Pakistan reported.

He said the government had worked sincerely to push the dialogue process forward, citing the government negotiation teams visit to South Waziristan as an example.

He added that the ending of the ceasefire questions objectivity of dialogue.

Nisar said that if the Taliban had objections, the government too had some reservations. However, these objections and reservations can be addressed at the negotiation table, he said.

The TTP on Wednesday said that they would not be extending the ceasefire, the group’s spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid said.

The reason for this, they claim, is the lack of progress from the government’s side regarding the Taliban’s demands.

The central council of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan will not be extending the ceasefire, the TTP spokesperson said in a statement.

However, the Taliban spokesperson said that the dialogue process will continue with complete “sincerity and seriousness”.

“The TTP will not abstain from taking any steps if the government makes some progress,” he said in a detailed statement.