ISLAMABAD: A part of the Taliban three-member team for negotiations with the government committee and Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz rejected a condition set by the government of holding peace talks within the parameters of the Constitution.
Maulana Aziz said that he would not be a part of peace dialogue process unless the imposition of Shariah is assured. He said that neither he would meet the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) not he would sit in talks with the government committee.
The religious leader further said that Maulana Samiul Haq and Professor Ibrahim, two other members of the TTP-nominated committee, can isolate him from the team as they have the authority to do so.
On Thursday, the negotiators from the government and the Taliban issued a joint statement after holding a first round of peace talks in Islamabad, and decided to continue dialogue process within the framework of Pakistan’s constitution.
During the meeting, both sides agreed that the scope of talks will be limited to troubled areas, adding that the duration of dialogue process should not be long.
