ISLAMABAD: The negotiators from the government and the Taliban on Thursday issued a joint statement after holding a first round of peace talks, and decided to continue dialogue process within the framework of Pakistan’s constitution.
The peace committees constituted by the government and the Tehrik-i-Taliban (TTP) gathered at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House in Islamabad for a preliminary meeting to chart a roadmap for future discussions. During the meeting, both sides expressed their reservations and discussed various issues as well as agreed to hold next meeting soon.
Following the meeting, in a joint statement read by Jamiat Uleme e Islam – Sami (JUI-S) leader and a part of three-member Taliban committee, Maulana Samiul Haq said that the dialogue process will continue within the parameter of Pakistan’s constitution.
The statement said the scope of talks will be limited to troubled areas, adding that the duration of dialogue process should not be long.
It said that the jurisdiction of the Taliban committee and Taliban monitoring committee should be made clear.
Moreover, the three-member TTP committee expressed desire to meet Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Chief of Army Staff General Rasheel Sharif and Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Zaheerul Islam.
The Taliban committee will soon visit Waziristan to convey the demands of the government’s committee to the Taliban leadership, the statement said.
Meanwhile, the premier’s advisor on national affairs and the coordinator of four-member government committee, Irfan Siddiqui said that the Taliban peace committee listened to us carefully and we have made a road-map to move forward.
On the occasion, Maulana Samiul Haq termed the preliminary meeting between the two sides as successful.
