Former chief cleric of Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz. PHOTO: AFP
Major (retd) Muhammad Amir, a former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) official had requested Maulana Aziz to be a part of the peace talks.
The former chief cleric said that he prays for the success of the negotiations but cannot take part in them.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had set out an open mandate for a four-member committee of negotiators to formally initiate peace talks with TTP, inviting the grouping on January 31 to follow suit and constitute its own negotiating team.
On January 29, TTP spokesperson Shahidullah Shahid had welcomed peace talks with the government soon after Nawaz announced the committee in the National Assembly. Shahid had said the final decision regarding talks would be made by the shura (consultation council).
The committee comprises Adviser on National Affairs Irfan Siddiqui, Major (retd) Amir, senior journalist Rahimullah Yousufzai as well as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former Pakistan ambassador to Afghanistan Rustam Shah Mohmand. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan would assist the committee and the premier would oversee it.
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Why did the TTP leave out Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman and Munawar Hassan ?
Both Aziz and IK are trusted, respected and endorsed by TTP to the extent that they nominated them to plead their case. However just like Aziz, IK as a politician has distanced themselves a bit away from TTP. Of course IK and PTI coalition partner JI perhaps would continue for fight the case for TTP as their voters are few but solid supporters.
@Azam:
I would'nt worry about this hoax of the Prime Minister? Neither the Prime Minister nor the army supremo has any intention to have a serious dialogue with the Talibans? The areal bombing of the waziri villages and firing rockets across into Afghanistan are not peace initiatives that must not be overlookedll . The process of talibanisation in Pakistan is likely to continue in the foreseable period..
Rex Minor
@Raj - USA: I do not mean to be rude , but have you an idea what Sharia means or what it implies? Are you aware that in USA sharia is practiced in the Bible land? And If the answer to my question is 'NO', should'nt you stop commening on the term sharia?
Rex Minor
Ha, Ha !!!!!!!! The latest news now on ET says that TTP have included Imran Khan and Samiul Haq and Maulana Abdul Azizin their team and want them to negotiate with the government on their behalf. TTP is exposing them all. TTP does not accept Pakistan's constitution and they have included Imran Khan an elected MNA in their team. If Imran Khan accepts TTP's demands he has to disown Pakistan's constitution. If he does not accept or is not able to make Pakistan's government agree to TTP's demands, his head is at stake.
Love this tactic of TTP.
Let us see how Imran Khan wriggles out of this situation. Is he going to grow a beard, stop polio vaccination camps or blow up schools for girls? Imran Khan cannot preach Islam to TTP also as they will blow him up if he talks anything to them against their version of Islam. He had been their spokesperson for long and is in a difficult situation now. All taliban supporters now have no choice but to take the arm and government's side and push for military action. We may not hear for some time from the likes of Orya Maqbool Jan, Ansar Abbasi and Hamid Gul.
Sharia is easy to force on others but difficult to practice it for yourself. You can push and punish the weak, minorities and poor with sharia but can never practice it yourself.
Will the Armed forces wait and watch all this "Topi Drama" of the clerics when they have already lost so many precious lives of soldiers and innocent citizens throughout the country.
This is the time to crush them rather than sitting together to nogotiate "FOR WHAT ??"
All the best but we are sure it will be futile. We are anxiously awaiting what steps Pakistan will take after the talks fail.