Pakistani Taliban To Hold Face-to-face Talks With Gov’t

Islamabad, March 16, IRNA - Pakistani Taliban have agreed to hold face-to-face talks with the government, a senior member of the Taliban dialogue committee, Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim has said. Prof. Ibrahim, who wrapped up two-day talks with the Taliban leaders in Waziristan tribal region, in a news conference on return described his talks as constructive and said the Taliban leaders will now hold direct talks with a government’s negotiation team. The Taliban intermediary had traveled to Waziristan tribal region on Thursday for talks with members of the Taliban political council to decide venue and agenda for the proposed direct talks with the government. “The Taliban have proposed a venue for the coming talks that will be shared with the government team,” leader of the Taliban intermediaries, Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, told a news conference. Prof. Ibrahim briefed Maulana Sami-ul-Haq on his talks with the Taliban leaders and later the Taliban mediators discussed strategy for next meeting with the government’s team, expected on Saturday or Sunday. “We want meeting with the government as soon as possible,” the Maulana said and urged both the government and the Taliban to show flexibility for progress in the direct talks. He called upon the government to free all non-combatant prisoners, adding the Taliban should also release all detainees with. “This will be a goodwill gesture and could push the peace process forward,” he said. A government negotiation team started peace talks with the Taliban intermediaries last month which resulted into a month-long unilateral cease-fire by the Taliban. In a positive response to the Talibanˈs ceasefire on march 1st, the security forces also suspended airstrikes on the Taliban hideouts in Waziristan tribal region. The government has now formed another high level committee for direct talks with the Taliban that is seen as the phase of making decisions. The committee is comprised of top government officials, who will hold direct talks as decisions will be taken in the next round of negotiations. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has also started consultations with political leaders to reach a consensus on the upcoming talks. He has also appealed to the political parties outside the parliament to support his governmentˈs peace efforts./end