Peace process: Govt hopeful for talks today

Taliban committee has yet not responded to govt's invitation.

ISLAMABAD:

Government negotiators are looking forward to meeting three Taliban intermediaries today (Thursday), even though they haven’t received a response to their offer for a ‘meeting anytime, anywhere’.

“The three-member Taliban committee has yet not responded to our invitation,” Irfan Siddiqui, the coordinator of the government’s four-member committee, told The Express Tribune on Wednesday.

However, both sides might have their first preparatory meeting today (Thursday), which was earlier scheduled for Tuesday – though no definite arrangements have been made yet. “It is now up to the TTP committee to inform the government negotiators about the time and place for the meeting,” Siddiqui added.

Journalist Rahimullah Yousafzai, who is a member of the government’s negotiating team, told The Express Tribune that they would discuss to what extent the TTP committee can compel the Taliban to accept decisions. “I hope the Taliban committee have the authority that we do,” he added. “We are in touch with the prime minister and the interior minister and we are regularly seeking guidance from them about the scope of the decisions we can take during the talks.”

Regarding the next meeting, he said, “They [the TTP intermediaries] are still in consultation and they have not yet responded to our offer.” He had contacted JUI-S spokesperson Maulana Yousaf Shah, inviting him to the negotiating table again.

No Shariah, no peace: Sami

During his speech at a Kashmir Solidarity Day rally, JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq said the talks could not be held on Wednesday because the members have other commitments. The TTP committee will inform the government’s representatives about the time and place for the meeting, he added.

Speaking to AFP, however, the JUI-S chief claimed that there was no chance of peace until the government embraces Islamic Shariah and US-led forces withdraw completely from Afghanistan.

His comments were echoed by his fellow TTP negotiator Maulana Abdul Aziz.

“Without [implementation of] Islamic Sharia, the Taliban won’t accept (the talks) even one per cent. If some factions accept it, then the others won’t accept it,” he added.

TTP targeted by army

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Jamaat-e-Islami leader Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim, who is also a TTP intermediary, emphasised that there is an ongoing war between the Taliban and the army. The Taliban are targeted by both the army and drone strikes, he said, adding that “a ceasefire is of fundamental importance to the establishment of peace.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 6^th, 2014.