Beginning of the end?: Preliminary talks with Taliban paying off

[Edevelop]

An exploratory round of negotiations with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has started paying off, the British Broadcasting Corporation reported quoting a senior government official. The militant group also confirmed it had begun preliminary talks with the government.

“The government had already done a lot of homework before reestablishing contacts with the TTP,” the official said. He requested not be named in the report because he was not authorised to publicly speak on the subject.

The killing of the Taliban’s second-in-command Waliur Rehman in a US drone strike, according to him, had damaged the peace process. However, contacts have been reestablished with the Taliban as a result of the government’s successful damage control efforts, he added.

Waliur Rehman – who was second to only Hakimullah Mehsud in the TTP hierarchy – died in a missile strike by a remotely-piloted US aircraft in North Waziristan Agency in May, this year. Incensed by the deadly strike, the TTP withdrew their dialogue offer, blaming the government for Rehman’s killing.

A key TTP commander confirmed the revival of talks with the government. In the exploratory talks, the two sides discussed several issues, including the possibility of the TTP snapping ties with al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi sectarian extremist group, he told the BBC. However, he wouldn’t say who was mediating on behalf of the government.

The Taliban say that anti-Pakistan militant groups are under increasing pressure to negotiate a peace pact with the government before the 2014 withdrawal of US-led coalition forces from Afghanistan.

This is the first time a senior official of the PML-N government has confirmed contacts with the Taliban. Asked how the fresh dialogue was different from the previous such talks, the government official said, “You’ll see the difference.”

The official didn’t say how the exploratory talks had paid off. But security analysts believe the government has somehow persuaded the TTP to stop their deadly attacks in the country. The August 8 suicide bombing at the Quetta Police Lines was the last major attack claimed by the TTP.

At the same time, the government is fine-tuning a comprehensive national counter-terrorism strategy. Sources say the government was consulting all political parties on the proposed policy which could be unveiled over the next few weeks.

In his maiden televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had said that he favoured talks as the first, though not the only, option in dealing with the Taliban.

An Islamabad-based western diplomat told the BBC that Premier Nawaz and army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani were on the same page vis-à-vis talks with the Taliban. They agree that peace talks are possible if the militants cease fire and accept the country’s Constitution.

The TTP is already divided over the government’s dialogue offer. The group sacked the Punjabi Taliban chief, Asmatullah Muavia, earlier this month after he welcomed the prime minister’s offer for talks.

Beginning of the end?: Preliminary talks with Taliban paying off says report – The Express Tribune

 

[Edevelop]

Govt in secret contact with Taliban: minister


ISLAMABAD: Backchannel talks between the ruling PML-N and Taliban are under way to work out a peace formula and end violence which has claimed thousands of lives in the country since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in Oct 2001.

“Unofficial talks between the government side and Taliban are in progress,” Information Minister Pervez Rashid told Dawn on Friday. He said the government was exploring all options to restore lasting peace in the country and was in contact with Taliban at different levels.

He endorsed a statement made by Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that a formula had been chalked out for holding formal talks with Taliban within a month. “Maulana Sahib is a responsible person and whatever he said is correct,” he said.

Earlier in the day, the JUI-F chief told reporters in Parliament House that a forum comprising authoritative and responsible people was being formed for holding talks with Taliban within a month.

The information minister did not say at what level talks had been initiated and with which group of militants. But, he said the government was ready to negotiate with any group of Taliban interested in holding talks.

“I cannot say with which group of Taliban we are holding talks because today we are talking with two groups and if another group wants to join we will welcome it too,” he said.

Mr Rashid said the government’s main objective was to restore peace and it would do everything possible to achieve that. “We have to rid the country of the menace of terrorism for which all options would be utilised.”

Asked if the government had taken opposition into confidence before going for negotiations with Taliban, he said the opposition was always consulted during formal and informal meetings and, particularly, in the Parliament House.

But, he said, there would be no opposition leader in the forum being formed for the talks which would be between the government and Taliban. “Therefore there is no need to include any leader of the opposition in the process.”

Earlier, the government had announced that it would hold an all-party conference to seek proposals for a formula under which talks could be initiated with Taliban. But the conference has not taken place for one reason or the other.

It may be mentioned that leaders of major opposition parties including the PPP, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Awami National Party and the PML-Q have supported the decision to hold talks with militants.

When contacted, JUI-F spokesman Jan Achakzai said the government had established some contacts with Taliban. “Certain steps have been taken behind the curtain.”

He said the government had formulated a strategy which would be followed by the forum for the talks. “The strategy is being discussed by the government with allied parties,” he added.

Intelligence agencies, he said, would be taken into confidence during the peace process.

****Taliban confirm****

Meanwhile, a senior Taliban leader confirmed that initial contacts between the militants and the government had been made. He told the BBC Urdu Service that the talks encompassing a wide range of issues including prevention of sectarian violence and snapping of ties with Al Qaeda and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi had been held.

Govt in secret contact with Taliban: minister - DAWN.COM