ISLAMABAD: The negotiators from the government and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) held a joint meeting on Tuesday at the residence of retired Major Amir Khan, a former ISI operative and one of the members of the government team.
The meeting was attended from the government side by special assistant to the prime minister on national affairs Irfan Siddqui and Rustam Shah Mohmand, while Maulana Samiul Haq‚ Professor Ibrahim Khan and Maulana Yousuf Shah represented the TTP in the meeting.
The meeting was held after Professor Ibrahim and Maulana Yousuf Shah returned from North Waziristan after meeting with the TTP’s Political Shura and receiving their response regarding the demands of the government.
During today’s meeting, the Taliban committee briefed the government team about their talks with the TTP’s Shura, which the government committee described as encouraging.
Maulana Sami said that Taliban’s demands were placed in front of government negotiators, adding that attempts at a ceasefire would be made in the first stage of dialogue.
The sources said that the TTP Shura gave positive response to the points raised by the government side. They conveyed that they wanted to proceed with open mind and expressed desire to give some good news to the nation at the earliest.
Moreover, the TTP also said that they would welcome the government team anywhere‚ anytime.
The two sides would discuss relevant proposals and formulate strategy in the next meeting.
