TTP intermediaries’ chief Maulana Samiul Haq. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
The government on Saturday managed to buy time from the Taliban’s intermediaries as the latter held out an assurance that the one-month ceasefire declared by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) early this month will hold post-March 31.
“The ceasefire will not be ending on March 31,” said TTP intermediaries’ chief Maulana Samiul Haq after a meeting with Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and the government negotiating committee on talks at the Punjab House on Saturday.
The two sides met two days after the government negotiators had their first face-to-face meeting with members of the TTP Political Shura somewhere in the tribal area. Nothing concrete came out of the session which was dubbed a ‘huge milestone in the peace process’.
The peace talks nearly collapsed following the slaying of 23 abducted paramilitary soldiers by TTP’s Mohmand chapter on February 16.
However, the fledgling process was salvaged after the Taliban declared a one-month ceasefire after a few days. The government reciprocated the move by calling off surgical air strikes against suspected Taliban hideouts in tribal regions.
The TTP is said to have shared with government negotiators a list of Taliban ‘non-combatants’ – mostly women, children and elderly – who they claim are in the custody of the security forces. The government has also called for the release of some high-profile figures held hostage by the Taliban.
The fate of the ceasefire as well as the peace dialogue now hinges on the release of ‘non-combatants’. In Saturday’s meeting, the government side sought more time from the Taliban intermediaries for tracing the ‘non-combatants’, sources told The Express Tribune.
The interior minister asked the Taliban intermediaries for two or three days to look into the Taliban claim – which was accepted.
Earlier in the day, Chaudhry Nisar called on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and briefed him on the progress made in the peace process. The joint meeting of the Taliban intermediaries and the government negotiating team reviewed the outcome of the maiden face-to-face meeting and discussed the future course of action.
“Both the sides have agreed to continue the dialogue process,” Maulana Sami told journalists after the session. He described the direct talks between TTP Political Shura members and government negotiators as a ‘positive development’.
The two sides agreed that ‘practical steps’ were needed to expedite the peace process, Maulana Sami said. “The government has asked for two or three days,” he said when asked about a next meeting.
“Once the stance of government and all stakeholders becomes clear then we will meet [after two or three days] for a next round of direct talks,” he added. Maulana Sami hinted that the next direct talks would be held at some different place. “After meeting the government we will decide the date and venue for the second face-to-face meeting between the government negotiators and Taliban Shura,” he added.
When quizzed about the reported stalemate in the first face-to-face meeting, Maulana Sami said: “There was no deadlock in the talks and that significant progress has been made in the dialogue process.”
The interior ministry did not issue any official statement on the talks. Insiders says the government has decided to take main political and religious parties into confidence on the progress made so far in the peace process before sitting down for the next round.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 30th, 2014.
COMMENTS (6)
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He always talks about the Taliban list,and is mum about innocents held by TTP.He just wants to buy time for the TTP to organize,and start fighting with renewed force.
The name of the game is to keep talking and holding the cease fire, so that the Government can sort out the free lance criminal elements who are also operating in several parts of Pakistan.
Rex Minor
Nawaz's spiritual dad created this mess, and he is taking it to another level. The former took US dollars, and the latter is taking Saudi riyals for the same purpose. The outcome will not be any different.
A country where fanatics, terrorists, killers, kidnappers, radical criminals, and their intermediaries have become stakeholders, and their sympathizers are calling the shots, and the voices of dissent are being eliminated, is not viable to exist.
This man along with Prof. Ibrahim is having a field day, giving their version everyday whether it means something or not.
These are the faces on which this country is relying on to solve its problems!