LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday expressed optimism about the outcome of peace talks with Taliban and showed confidence in Dr Baloch's Balochistan government to resolve outstanding issues by taking all stakeholders onboard.

“I will personally supervise peace talks while Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali will assist me,” he said while speaking to media representatives at Alhamra Arts Council here after a meeting with senior journalists and columnists.

“It is my utmost desire that the committees formed by the government and the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan make headway in the talks.”

The prime minister said the government preferred to resolve all issues through dialogue to save the country from further crises.

He said the government wanted to settle all issues through dialogue with India, Afghanistan and other countries for durable peace in the region.

On the Balochistan issue, he said, “Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch will take all stakeholders onboard for durable peace in the province in the larger interest of the country.”

He said he was confident that the Balochistan government would resolve all issues and his support and cooperation would always be with them.

Replying to a query, he said that his government had inherited all problems from the previous regimes and was striving hard to resolve them by taking measures through comprehensive policies.

PM Sharif said that national economy had improved remarkably owing to prudent policies and measures adopted by the government.

Earlier, the prime minister held a meeting with senior journalists, columnists and intellectuals, including Ataul Haq Qasmi, Mujeebur Rehman Shami, Rauf Kalasra, Najam Sethi, Ataur Rehman, Masood Ashar, Sajid Mir and Sohail Warraich to discus matters of national importance.