Peace talks: Need to have the military on your side, says Sirajul Haq

Believes a peaceful Pakistan is not only important for the stability of Afghanistan but the entire region.

BATKHELA:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Finance Minister Sirajul Haq believes that the negotiation process cannot be successful without the military’s support.

While talking to members of Malakand Press Club on Saturday about talks with Taliban, he said that including important personalities like Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s Maulana Fazlur Rehman in the government committee was crucial for the peace process.

Haq said that the nation and Afghan Taliban were hoping for the success of the negotiations between the Pakistani government and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. He added that peaceful Pakistan was not only important for the stability of Afghanistan, but the entire region.

According to Haq it’s important for the government and Pakistani Taliban to remain positive over the negotiation process. He added that the Jamaat-e-Islami was playing its part in coordinating between the committees.



Negotiators nominated by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met in Islamabad on Thursday for the first time and emphasised that “both sides should halt activities which could damage peace talks.” Both sides also agreed to hold talks within the parameters of the Constitution of Pakistan.

The four-member committee appointed by the government comprises Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Affairs Irfan Siddiqui, former ISI official Major (retd) Muhammad Amir, senior journalist Rahimullah Yousufzai as well as Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leader and former Pakistan ambassador to Afghanistan Rustam Shah Mohmand.

The three-member committee named by the TTP includes Jamaat-e-Islami leader Prof Mohammad Ibrahim, JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq and Lal Masjid prayer leader Maulana Abdul Aziz.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 9^th, 2014.