ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to dissolve its negotiating committee tasked with holding peace talks with the Taliban.
Sources add that a new committee will be constituted in the coming days and will hold direct talks with the Taliban.
It is expected that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will supervise the committee while Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan will be its focal person.
Sources also say that new committee will include members from the federal government, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government including a representative of the Governor of the province. Additionally the committee will include members from the country’s premier intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The new committee will be tasked with holding talks directly with the Taliban.
PM Meets Taliban, Govt Committees
In his meeting with members of the government and Taliban committees, Prime Minister Shairf stressed that Pakistan could not progress and develop without peace. The prime minister told the committees that Pakistan had paid a heavy price for violence and terrorism and it was now vital to restore peace so the country’s stature in the world can be restored.
“I will not shy away from discharging my responsibilities,” the prime minister said.
Maulana Samiul Haq while lauding the prime minister’s commitment for a peaceful resolution said members of the committee stood with the government in this regard.
He agreed with the Prime Minister that a new strategy was needed to make the decision-making process effective in the next phase.
Maulana Samiul Haq said with the personal guidance, interest and sincerity of the Prime Minister, the situation would soon improve and with Allah’s blessing there would be peace in the country.
Earlier the coordinator of the government committee and Special Advisor to the Prime Minister Irfan Siddique briefed the Prime Minister about the meeting of the two committees held on Wednesday in Akora Khattak.
The meeting was attended by members of the Taliban Committee; Maulana Samiul Haq, Professor Muhammad Ibrahim and Maulana Mohammad Yousaf, while those from the government committee included Irfan Siddque, Major (Retired) Aamir, Rustam Shah Mohmand and Rahimullah Yousafzai. Interior Minister Ch. Nisar was also present.
Following the meeting Maulana Sami-ul-Haq the leader of the Taliban nominated negotiating committee told journalists that a unanimous decision had been taken regarding a new strategy for peace talks to continue.
He added that matters have reached a level where, without the inclusion of authoritative circles the talks could not move forward.
Sami further said that members from both committees will go to Waziristan to hold discussions with the Taliban Shura (council).
Maulana Sami-ul-Haq said both sides need to enhance mutual cooperation to unearth the elements bent upon sabotaging the dialogue process through violence.
The leader of the Taliban committee expressed his optimism that the issue would be resolved through dialogue.
