Salvaging the dialogue: Govt still committed to talks with Taliban, PM assures Fazl

The jirga wants to move forward with reconciliation, says JUI-F chief.


Our Correspondent November 30, 2013
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. PHOTO: PPI

ISLAMABAD:


Despite teething troubles, the government was still committed to engaging the Taliban in peace talks, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.


After yet another round of meetings of tribal elders organised by his party, Fazl met PM Nawaz on Friday where the JUI-F chief told the premier that the jirga was willing to assist the government in its planned peace talks with the  Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

“The jirga has become active once again and it has expressed its desire to move forward with reconciliation,” Jan Achakzai, the JUI-F spokesperson, quoted Fazl as telling the prime minister.



The TTP had ruled out any possibility of talks with the government earlier this month after a drone strike in North Waziristan killed TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud.

However, Fazl’s spokesperson said the prime minister has assured the JUI-F chief that the government will not give up on the talks. The government was keenly following the situation in the tribal areas and it was still committed to dialogue.

Earlier, the jirga organised by the JUI-F met in Peshawar on Thursday and finalised recommendations for the federal government regarding a result-oriented dialogue process. Fazl also communicated the jirga’s recommendations to the prime minister.

Fazl suggested to the premier that the jirga was the only workable and the best mechanism available for a peace dialogue with the Taliban. It comprised elders from all tribal agencies and it had the support of all political parties in the country, he added.

The JUI-F chief and the prime minister also discussed the security situation in the wake of the recent drone strikes and underscored that drones are not acceptable as they violate Pakistan’s sovereignty, said Achakzai.

On the heels of PM’s visit to Afghanistan, Nawaz apprised the Maulana of tripartite discussions with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, held in London recently. “A peaceful Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest,” the two leaders agreed, the spokesman added.

For sectarian harmony

Separately, the JUI-F chief said to avoid incidents of sectarian violence such as the one witnessed recently in Rawalpindi, the government primarily needs to strictly implement the existing laws that check such crimes.

Speaking to journalists after chairing the Ittehad-e-Ummat (IU) Conference in Rawalpindi on Friday, Fazl said, “Transferring a few police and administration officials is not the solution to the problem. All existing laws barring sectarian violence should be acted upon in letter and spirit.”

He demanded the district administration complete the inquiry into the incident as soon as possible.

The findings of the investigation should be made public so that people know who was responsible for negligence, if there was any, the JUI-F chief said. He urged the government to pay immediate attention to legislation if the situation demands more laws to effectively curb sectarian violence.

Besides the government’s efforts to create unity among all sects of Islam in the country, Fazl urged leaders from all schools of thought to come forward and play their part in fostering harmony. It was the collective responsibility of all Muslims to promote peace and unity amongst them, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 30th, 2013.

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