“All political parties are on the same page for holding talks with the Taliban and a positive outcome is expected from the APC,” says interior minister. PHOTO: APP/FILE
The government will hold its first all parties’ conference (APC) on Monday to evolve a national consensus on proposed talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The APC was earlier scheduled for July 12, but was delayed for multiple reasons.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his cabinet members will present a proposed roadmap for engagement to representatives of all parliamentary parties, according to an official of the interior ministry. The roadmap suggests how negotiations will be held with militant groups if they agree to renounce violence.
To ensure all parties are represented in the in-camera APC at the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier sent out invitations and emissaries to all party heads on Friday. All invitees are said to have responded in the affirmative.
“A member from every party is attending and a majority of them are in favour of talks with militants before using force against them,” said the official.
The government has relied on multiple sources to formulate prerequisites and an agenda for the talks with the TTP, including recommendations by the APC organised by the Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) earlier last year.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan met the JUI-F chief on Friday and besides inviting him to the APC sought his advice on talks with the Taliban, said a PML-N official.
Speaking at a news conference after the meeting, the interior minister assured Maulana Fazl that the army also favoured the dialogue option. Drawing attention to an earlier statement by the federal defence secretary opposing talks with the militants, Fazl said the secretary was a retired army officer and was only a bureaucrat. “Bureaucrats should refrain from making such statements,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nisar sanguinely said, “All political parties are on the same page for holding talks with the Taliban and a positive outcome is expected from the APC.”
Talking to The Express Tribune, interior ministry spokesperson Omar Hameed Khan explained, “The government will start negotiations with the TTP only after developing a consensus on the issue.”
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan also accepted the invitation to attend the APC. His party’s spokesperson confirmed that Imran would personally attend the conference. Besides giving his suggestions on the Taliban talks, the PTI chief would also take up the issue of drone strikes in North Waziristan.
The Awami National Party (ANP) also confirmed its participation. The party’s information secretary, Senator Zahid Khan, said the ANP planned on giving its recommendations not only on a national security policy but also on the Karachi law and order situation. ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan has excused himself, but asked Chaudhry Nisar to invite senior party leader Senator Haji Adeel instead.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (4)
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What is the use of Parliament if you need to call APC on issues? Parliament has been made useless because parliamentarians instead of making national policies are busy in local issues like road construction etc. which was suppose to be the job of local bodies. Please conduct genuine local body elections and differentiate between policy making and administration, as is happening in every developed democratic country of the world.
Drones are killing terrorists...... Jails are broken and terrotist got free...... Rest are aquited by courts.......
Whats the use of APC....?.?? When there is no single agenda..........
You have simple majority, do what needs to be done. There is consensus in the country that talk to some and crush the others is the way forward. Just do it please, don't waste time on useless APCs. We have been on this road before and we exactly know how futile is this exercise.