ISLAMABAD: A member of the Taliban nominated peace talks committee and Jamiat Uleme-e-Islama (S) leader Maulana Samiul Haq said on Monday that the Taliban have not set any conditions for the talks.
Talking to media representatives in Islamabad on Monday along with Taliban committee members Jamaat-i-Islami’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief Professor Muhammad Ibrahim and Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz, Maulana Sami said that the procedure and place of dialogue will be finalized after meeting with the committee formed by the government.
The JUI-S leader said that we will meet the government committee to forward the dialogue process.
Maulana Sami said that every effort will be made to complete this process soon but it is not possible to give a time-frame at the moment. He said that meeting of our committee will be held tomorrow or the day after.
The TTP committee member said that Maulana Yousuf Shah will be coordinator of the committee. He said that Professor Ibrahim said Taliban committee is fully authorized to make any decision.
The JUI-S further said that several forces will try to sabotage peace process, and he termed the twin explosions in Peshawar as a similar attempt which was aimed at derailing the peace process.
To a question‚ he said that Imran Khan has got an opportunity to play a role in talks, adding that we hope he will make a better decision in this regard.
The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) proposed a five-member team for negotiations. It includes Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, Maulana Samiul Haq, Maulana Abdul Aziz, Professor Mohammad Ibrahim and former MPA Mufti Kifayatullah of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam – Fazl.
However, Imran Khan distanced himself from Taliban, saying that the groups should select its own representatives for talks with the government.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the PTI Core Committee was held in Islamabad which decided against Imran Khan’s inclusion in peace committee, however welcomed progress in peace talks.
The PTI Secretary General Jehangir Tareen said Imran Khan will not join peace talks committee; rather Rustam Shah Mehmand will represent the party.
On the other hand, the TTP’s central shura constituted another 10-member committee for monitoring of the talks.
Its members include Qari Shakil Khan Haqqani, Umar Khalid Khurasani, Qari Bashir, Azam Tariq, the TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid, Asmatullah Muavia and others.
