TTP willing to hold direct talks with govt committee: Sami
PESHAWAR - Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is willing to hold face-to-face talks with recently formed government peace committee and it is a big development to take the peace process forward, Taliban negotiation team chief and JUI-S Ameer Maulana Samiul Haq said Friday. "It is a high time to bring the government committee and Taliban at dialogue table to hold direct talks," he said this while briefing the media at Akora Khattak, Nowshera soon after the arrival of TTP's negotiation team comprising coordinator Maulana Yousaf Shah and Professor Mohammad Ibrahim Khan.
A day before, the TTP committee has gone to Miranshah, North Waziristan Agency, where it held important meetings with TTP political shura to decide modalities, agenda, venue for holding next meeting and also discussed the so far progress in talks between government and Taliban.
On Thursday morning, the TTP negotiation team left for North Waziristan through a special helicopter from Peshawar and after having one-night stay there, they on next day held final round of talks with TTP leadership at an undisclosed location and remained there till Friday afternoon.
The committee stayed for some 27 hours in North Waziristan and Taliban Shura gave full traditional tribal hospitality to its members. After concluding the meetings, the TTP peace talks committee reached Miranshah from that undisclosed place. However, the committee members have to stay with the political administration of North Wazirisan Agency for sometime, as there was bad weather and the helicopter was not in a position to fly up and after clearing weather they left for Peshawar and reached here late afternoon.
It has been learnt that during talks with Taliban committee, the TTP political shura was represented by Sheikh Khalid Haqqani, Qari Shakeel, Azam Tariq, Shahidullah Shahid, Sajid Mohmand and Ihsanullah Ihsan.
On their arrival, the TTP negotiation committee coordinator Maulana Yousaf Shah and Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim Khan addressed a news briefing along with chief of the committee Maulana Samiul Haq at Akora Khattak, his hometown in district Nowshera.
Only on the first day of talks between Taliban committee and TTP political shura members, a US drone reportedly flew above the area while on the second day (Friday) there was no drone as there were clouds in the sky and the unmanned vehicles could not fly in such situation.
Maulana Samiul Haq said that the committee held constructive talks with TTP and Taliban leaders would now hold direct talks with government peace committee. He informed that Taliban have proposed a venue for the talks that would be shared with the government team.
Before addressing the news conference, Prof. Ibrahim briefed Maulana Samiul Haq about committee talks with the Taliban leaders. Maulana Samiul Haq said that next meeting between government and their committee was expected to take place on Saturday or Sunday.
Regarding Taliban committee meeting with TTP political shura, he said that both members of the committee have returned satisfied after the meeting. He further said that they would soon arrange a meeting of government's peace negotiating committee with Taliban Shura. He said that they would facilitate the direct talks between government committee and Taliban and results would be presented before the parliament also.
He said that the next phase of talks would commence once a venue and date were decided and that is why there is a need to hold a meeting with the government committee. Lauding government, he said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was himself monitoring the whole process. Responding to a query, Maulana Samiul Haq asked for extending the month-long ceasefire, adding that Taliban's final decision in this regard would be made after a formal meeting of the Shura in coming days.
He said that their first priority would be to get the release of imprisoned children and women as demanded by the Taliban leadership. About bomb blasts, he said that the Friday's blasts in Peshawar and Quetta were part of a conspiracy being hatched to derail the peace process.
On this occasion, member Taliban committee Prof Ibrahim Khan said that their meeting with the political Shura of the TTP was positive. He said that the government committee would be taken to North Waziristan for direct talks with TTP Shura, adding that the Taliban nominated team will also be part of it on the occasion. "During the meeting, the Taliban would present their demands before the government negotiating team," he added. Apart from, he said that they had held detailed discussion with Taliban leadership and informed them of the newly formed government committee. He said that they would take the peace process to its logical conclusion. He said the Taliban had nothing to do with Friday's terrorist incidents in Peshawar and Quetta.
The JUI-S chief said that Pakistan needed peace and there is a chance for the government and Taliban to resolve lingering issues peacefully. He said that the members of newly formed government committee were experienced and they were aware of tribal norms.
The government had formed a new committee on March 12, 2014, to hold direct talks with the TTP as part of efforts to end years of violence that has plagued the country. Secretary Sports Habibullah Khattak will lead the committee while its other members are FATA Additional Secretary Arbab Arif, Secretary to Prime Minister Office Fawad Hassan Fawad and former diplomat Rustam Shah Mohmand, who was in the previous negotiating team as well.
A day before, the TTP committee has gone to Miranshah, North Waziristan Agency, where it held important meetings with TTP political shura to decide modalities, agenda, venue for holding next meeting and also discussed the so far progress in talks between government and Taliban.
On Thursday morning, the TTP negotiation team left for North Waziristan through a special helicopter from Peshawar and after having one-night stay there, they on next day held final round of talks with TTP leadership at an undisclosed location and remained there till Friday afternoon.
The committee stayed for some 27 hours in North Waziristan and Taliban Shura gave full traditional tribal hospitality to its members. After concluding the meetings, the TTP peace talks committee reached Miranshah from that undisclosed place. However, the committee members have to stay with the political administration of North Wazirisan Agency for sometime, as there was bad weather and the helicopter was not in a position to fly up and after clearing weather they left for Peshawar and reached here late afternoon.
It has been learnt that during talks with Taliban committee, the TTP political shura was represented by Sheikh Khalid Haqqani, Qari Shakeel, Azam Tariq, Shahidullah Shahid, Sajid Mohmand and Ihsanullah Ihsan.
On their arrival, the TTP negotiation committee coordinator Maulana Yousaf Shah and Prof. Mohammad Ibrahim Khan addressed a news briefing along with chief of the committee Maulana Samiul Haq at Akora Khattak, his hometown in district Nowshera.
Only on the first day of talks between Taliban committee and TTP political shura members, a US drone reportedly flew above the area while on the second day (Friday) there was no drone as there were clouds in the sky and the unmanned vehicles could not fly in such situation.
Maulana Samiul Haq said that the committee held constructive talks with TTP and Taliban leaders would now hold direct talks with government peace committee. He informed that Taliban have proposed a venue for the talks that would be shared with the government team.
Before addressing the news conference, Prof. Ibrahim briefed Maulana Samiul Haq about committee talks with the Taliban leaders. Maulana Samiul Haq said that next meeting between government and their committee was expected to take place on Saturday or Sunday.
Regarding Taliban committee meeting with TTP political shura, he said that both members of the committee have returned satisfied after the meeting. He further said that they would soon arrange a meeting of government's peace negotiating committee with Taliban Shura. He said that they would facilitate the direct talks between government committee and Taliban and results would be presented before the parliament also.
He said that the next phase of talks would commence once a venue and date were decided and that is why there is a need to hold a meeting with the government committee. Lauding government, he said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was himself monitoring the whole process. Responding to a query, Maulana Samiul Haq asked for extending the month-long ceasefire, adding that Taliban's final decision in this regard would be made after a formal meeting of the Shura in coming days.
He said that their first priority would be to get the release of imprisoned children and women as demanded by the Taliban leadership. About bomb blasts, he said that the Friday's blasts in Peshawar and Quetta were part of a conspiracy being hatched to derail the peace process.
On this occasion, member Taliban committee Prof Ibrahim Khan said that their meeting with the political Shura of the TTP was positive. He said that the government committee would be taken to North Waziristan for direct talks with TTP Shura, adding that the Taliban nominated team will also be part of it on the occasion. "During the meeting, the Taliban would present their demands before the government negotiating team," he added. Apart from, he said that they had held detailed discussion with Taliban leadership and informed them of the newly formed government committee. He said that they would take the peace process to its logical conclusion. He said the Taliban had nothing to do with Friday's terrorist incidents in Peshawar and Quetta.
The JUI-S chief said that Pakistan needed peace and there is a chance for the government and Taliban to resolve lingering issues peacefully. He said that the members of newly formed government committee were experienced and they were aware of tribal norms.
The government had formed a new committee on March 12, 2014, to hold direct talks with the TTP as part of efforts to end years of violence that has plagued the country. Secretary Sports Habibullah Khattak will lead the committee while its other members are FATA Additional Secretary Arbab Arif, Secretary to Prime Minister Office Fawad Hassan Fawad and former diplomat Rustam Shah Mohmand, who was in the previous negotiating team as well.
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