Summary Hakeemullah Mehsood, other Taliban leaders hold meeting to discuss demands to be presented to govt.
NORTH WAZIRISTAN (Dunya News) - An important meeting, chaired by Hakeemullah Mehsood, mulled strategy for responding to talks offer made by Pakistan government after the All Parties Conference.
According to sources, the meeting discussed the demands and conditions to be put forward to Pakistan authorities at the time of negotiations.
It has been learnt that the demands will be conveyed to government by this Friday.
Taliban have constituted a 10-member committee to finalise the demands and conditions.
According to initial reports, the demands of Taliban include release of some imprisoned people, amnesty for the ‘wanted’ persons, compensation for the affectees of drone attacks and withdrawal of army from tribal areas.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has secured the backing of the country’s main political parties for formal peace talks with Taliban militants who have launched terror attacks across Pakistan from their strongholds near the Afghan border.
Nawaz Sharif met leaders of other political parties along with senior military figures including COAS General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani on Monday.
The government announced afterwards that the gathering agreed to “initiate dialogue with all the stakeholders” to end the conflict in Pakistan, in the first sign that PM’s conciliatory approach had won concrete support from other politicians.
Shahidullah Shahid, spokesman for the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, was quoted by Pakistani media as welcoming the offer.
