Summary Samiul Haq said direct talks will begin in 2 or 3 days.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Government and Taliban committees have resolved to hold direct talks with Taliban on a mutually agreed upon location in Frontier Region (FR) Bannu, Dunya News reported.
Government and Taliban coordinating committees met in Punjab House Islamabad in a session chaired by Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali on Saturday.
Participants included Rustam Shah Mohmand, Arbab Arif, Habibullah Khattak and Fawad Hussain from government’s side, and Maulana Samiul Haq, Maulana Yousaf and Professor Ibrahim from Taliban’s coordinating committee.
Prior to the meeting, Samiul Haq said, while talking to Dunya News that Yousaf Shah has had a contact with Taliban and that a location has been recommended by Taliban side. Samiul Haq had said that the location was to be finalized after coordinating with government only.
The issue about release of prisoners also came under discussion during the meeting.
Samiul Haq said that the meeting was concluded in a pleasant manner while confirming the mutually agreed upon location. He further said that the talks will begin in 2 or 3 days on the decided location.
Insurgency, dialogue or operation:
Pakistan is facing almost a decade old insurgency at the hands of Taliban factions grouped under umbrella of Tehrik-e-Taliban. The new governing parties including Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) had campaigned in elections in favour of resolving the years old conflict through dialogue.
The ruling party secured a vote of confidence in favour of dialogue through a session of All Parties Conference (APC) and to act on the recommendation upon willingness from Taliban, committees to represent both government and Taliban were formed and the process continued.
However, all negotiations stalled as a number of civilians and military personnel were brutalized whose responsibility was claimed by Taliban.
Following a number of air strikes by Pakistan military, Taliban agreed to a month-long ceasefire which was later reciprocated by the government.
Government also dissolved the existing committees emphasizing the need of moving forward the negotiations to next phase by restructuring the existing government committee to hold ‘direct talks’.
