ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday dissociated him and his party member from ongoing dialogue process between government and Pakistani Taliban which according to him would prove ‘ineffective’.
Addressing a press conference following a meeting of the party’s advisory committee, he said that JUI-F would not join the current dialogue process. He said that decision was taken unanimously by the JUI-F members.
“I pray for the success of peace talks but I am not hopeful that talks would succeed,” said Fazlur Rehman.
Describing reasons for distancing his party from dialogue, the JUI-F chief said that they were neither consulted nor informed about the government’s decision to initiate peace talks with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Maulana Fazlur Rehman also expressed his reservations over his party proposed Jirga system being ignored in peace process, which he emphasized enjoyed the trust of both the Taliban and political parties.
“Mufti Kifayatullah will not be part of the committee suggested by the TTP for negotiation with the government,” he said reacting to inclusion of the JUI-F leader in Taliban’s negotiating team.
Earlier, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan also said that he will not act as a representative for the five-member committee nominated by the Pakistani Taliban to further dialogue with government negotiators.
The Tehrik-i-Taliban had nominated the names of Imran Khan, Maulana Samiul Haq, former chief cleric of the Lal Masjid Maulana Abdul Aziz, Professor Mohammad Ibrahim of the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) and Mufti Kifayatullah.
Earlier last week, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said his government had decided to pursue peace talks with Taliban militants to end years of violence despite a recent spate of attacks.
The premier had named a four-member committee comprising his Advisor on National Affairs Irfan Siddique, veteran journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai, former ambassador and expert on Afghanistan affairs Rustam Shah Mohmand and former ISI official Major (retd) Amir Shah to facilitate the dialogue.
