Welcomed: Major stumbling block removed, says Siddiqui

Siddiqui says govt negotiators likely to have meeting in next couple of days to discuss matter.

SHABQADAR/ ISLAMABAD:

A four-member negotiating team of the government has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire by the TTP, describing it as the removal of a ‘major stumbling block’ in the peace process.

“This is a positive development,” the committee’s coordinator, Irfan Siddiqui, told The Express Tribune. “Although there is no official communication [of the ceasefire], we welcome the development and hope that it’ll be implemented,” he said.

Siddiqui said the ceasefire has removed a ‘major stumbling block in the peace process.’

He recalled the government committee’s demand for an unconditional ceasefire announcement by the TTP. “Negotiations were deadlocked on February 17 when we asked the Taliban to announce a ceasefire.”

The government negotiators had cancelled a scheduled meeting with the Taliban intermediaries on February 17 – a day after the TTP’s Mohmand chapter claimed that it has slain 23 FC troops to avenge the alleged killing of their men by security agencies in Peshawar and Nowshera.

“We will formally respond to the announcement whenever a formal contact is made us,” Siddiqui said. He added that the government negotiators were likely to have a meeting in the next couple of days to discuss the matter.

Another government negotiator, Major (retd.) Mohammad Aamir, suggested direct talks between the government and the Taliban as “now is the time for taking and making decisions”.

“Now, I don’t see any relevance for the government committee because we have succeeded in convincing the Taliban to declare a ceasefire,” he told The Express Tribune.

He disclosed that ‘backdoor efforts’ by him and JUI-S leader Maulana Yousaf Shah resulted in the announcement of a ceasefire by the Taliban. Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had also been involved in these backdoor contacts, he disclosed.

“I suggest the involvement of the state to open a direct contact as we (government negotiators) are non-state actors. I have suggested the involvement of army, the governor and chief minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the federal interior minister in the dialogue process,” he said. “A responsible behaviour is also required to make the process a success.”

He said he has conveyed his suggestion to the interior minister and will also share it with the prime minister. “If the government still thinks that our services are required, we can play the role of facilitators,” he said.

He disclosed that he had established direct contacts with the Taliban over the past few days and encouraged them to declare a ceasefire. “They had agreed in principle and later conveyed the decision to their chief Maulvi Fazalullah for a final decision,” Major Aamir said.

A third member of the government negotiating team, Rustam Shah Mohmand, hoped the TTP would extend the ceasefire duration. “There might be some groups who are not in favour of peace talks. We must ignore them and resume the peace process,” Shah told The Express Tribune.

“By announcing a one-month ceasefire, the TTP could be checking the government’s sincerity. But as a member of the government’s negotiating team I know that the government is sincere in talks,” he added.

Mohmand hoped that during the one month, the two sides could bridge the trust deficit. If confidence is built, then all matters will be resolved through dialogue. However, he cautioned that the groups inimical to talks would try to sabotage the process by resorting to violence.

The government would pursue dialogue with those groups that want talks, while force will be used against those who have links with foreign elements and want to sabotage the peace initiative.

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