Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD:
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has scheduled the maiden meeting of the four-member government committee on talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan today (Friday).
The premier will set out guidelines to members of the committee on the proposed peace dialogue during the meeting, an aide to committee member Irfan Siddiqui said.
The meeting will take place at the Prime Minister House.
On Wednesday, the prime minister, told fellow parliamentarians at the National Assembly that the government wanted to give dialogue with the Taliban another chance. He nominated Siddiqui, former ambassador Rustum Shah Mohmand, journalist Rahimullah Yousafzai and retired intelligence officer Maj Amir as members of the committee tasked with spearheading the peace process.
Although Prime Minister Nawaz did not appoint any of the members as the head of the committee, he announced that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would serve as a focal person for the committee. The premier would supervise the process himself.
The government has neither specified a timeframe for the peace process nor announced the modalities for the proposed dialogue with the Taliban.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 31st, 2014.
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