Talks with Taliban positive, encouraging so far: Samiul Haq
Talks between the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Taliban began last week.
AKORA KHATTAK (Web Desk) - Taliban talks committee member Maulana Samiul Haq has said that negotiations with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in North Waziristan have so far been positive and encouraging.
Talking to the media persons in Akora Khattak today (Monday)‚ Maulana Samiul Haq said his committee members presented the demands of the government committee before the Taliban.
He said the Taliban have also given their demands which will be shared with the government committee on Tuesday.
Maulana Samiul Haq said nothing will be kept secret from the nation, however details cannot be made public at this stage to save the dialogue process.
He said our desire is to bring an end to bloodshed and revive peace through the dialogue process.
According to AFP, Taliban insurgents have set tough terms for peace talks with the Pakistani government, demanding the release of all imprisoned fighters and the withdrawal of troops from the tribal areas.
The militants outlined their demands to the negotiators who are holding talks with the government on the their behalf about ending a seven-year insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives.
A TTP commander told AFP the prisoner and troops issues were a "test case" for the government to prove its sincerity.
"This is the first round of talks. The committee members will now meet the government committee and will forward our demands, they will meet us again with a reply," the commander said.
The three-member team representing the TTP returned to Islamabad after meeting the Taliban s 10-member council at their headquarters in the mountainous tribal district of North Waziristan over the weekend.
The negotiating team was led by Professor Ibrahim Khan of the Jamaat-e-Islami religious political party and also included clerics Yousuf Shah and Maulana Abdul Haseeb.
