Govt refuses Taliban's demand to withdraw army from North Waziristan
The agenda for talks with Taliban has not been finalized yet.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The government has refused to withdraw security forces from North Waziristan to form peace zone for talks.
According to sources, the agenda for talks with Taliban has not been finalized yet. The Taliban negotiating team clearly told the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) political shura that no discussion will be held over the positioning of army, saying that armed forces deployment have neither any link with talks nor they will be made part of the dialogue process.
The TTP was also told that they can talk over settlement, release of prisoners and compensation.
Earlier, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid said there was no ‘super committee’, in addition to the government committee, to hold dialogue with the Taliban.
Pervaiz Rashid said Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was the focal person of the dialogue process.
Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif himself got briefings on the progress of the government committee on dialogue with the Taliban, which were also attended by the Defence Minister, he added.
Regarding terrorist attacks by Taliban outfits despite the ongoing talks, the minister said pro-dialogue Taliban had disowned these acts of terrorism.
“Let the dialogue with Taliban complete”, he said and added the government would take action against those, who did not opt for talks and peace.
