Peace negotiations: Dialogue with Taliban to remain on the cards, says PM

Says no clearance required from ‘big powers’.

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Wednesday that dialogue with Tahreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) remains on the cards to tackle extremism without seeking clearance from “big powers” for the talks.

“It was a calculated decision to talk with Taliban and if the government gets a positive response from the other side, the talks can begin as there is no better option than dialogue,” Nawaz said while speaking at a special cabinet meeting.

“As a sovereign nation, it is our right to take policy decisions to resolve our problems,” the premier added.



PM’s statement came just a day after reports that he had delegated Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam and chairman of the Pakistan Defence Council, the task to create a feasible environment to initiate a dialogue with the TTP.

On Tuesday, Samiul Haq met with the prime minister and the two discussed the strategy to revive conditions to initiate peace talks with the Taliban.

However, the TTP has again ruled out the possibility of talks with the government, sticking to its stance that it could not contemplate the same until security officials stopped targeting its leaders.



The premier said that the issue of extremism was mishandled in the past but his government would give preference to talks over all other options for bringing normalcy in the country.

Explaining his government’s policy on drones, Nawaz said that his administration did not change its policy on drones and he raised this issue with President Barack Obama during his visit to Washington.

The prime minister said the government was also trying to improve relations with Afghanistan. Through Mullah Bradar, Pakistan was trying to convince Taliban to talk with High Peace Council of Afghanistan, he added.

The premier further said Pakistan would not allow use of its territory against other countries and expects that other countries also follow the same principle.

Nawaz said the decision to initiate dialogue with Taliban had been taken at the forum of National Security Council (NSC). “Unlike the past, there will not be two views, whatever decision is to be taken it will be taken at the NSC platform and all such decisions will be implemented,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2014.