ISLAMABAD: An agreement was reached on Thursday during the All Parties Conference (APC) organized by Awami national Party (ANP) in Islamabad that deals with the holding of peace talks with Taliban militants to establish peace in the country, Dispatch News Desk (DND) reported.
The conference was convened by ANP in Islamabad on Thursday to develop a consensus-based strategy to cope with the extremism in the country.
Delegations from 27 Pakistan’s political parties including Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), ANP, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) and lawyers’ bodies participated in the conference.
A joint statement issued at the end of the conference said that menace of terrorism is not an issue for just one party; rather it is the problem of the entire country. It stressed that the elimination of terrorism was essential to ensure prosperity in Pakistan.
The statement further said that the issue of terrorism should be resolved according to the law and constitution of Pakistan.
Representatives of political parties attending the conference were also unanimous in stating that the issue of terrorism should be resolved according to the requirements of national sovereignty.
Talking to the media, ANP chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said the joint statement would be sent to all institutions of Pakistan. The ANP chief added that Thursday’s conference was the beginning for establishing peace in the country.
The APC took place two weeks after TTP, which waged a deadly campaign inside Pakistan, offered it was ready to hold talks with the government if PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, JUI-I chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and JI chief Syed Munawar Hasan acted as guarantors.
DND