PTI agrees to join govt committee in TTP talks

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PTI agrees to join govt committee in TTP talks

Dawn.com Published March 10, 2014

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ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Monday agreed to partake in the dialogue being held between the government and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and has named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa MNA Gulzar Khan as its representative in the government committee, DawnNews reported.

The government had virtually dissolved a committee formed last month when its members recommended the formation of a fully empowered team comprising the interior minister, officials of the army and ISI and the governor and chief minister of KP for direct talks with TTP.

PTI chief Imran Khan has been a staunch supporter of dialogue and has consistently said that a military operation against Taliban is not a solution to the problem.

The PML-N had reportedly been approaching PTI to agree to the inclusion of KP Chief Minister Pervez Khattak in the government committee for holding direct talks with the Taliban leadership.

Well-informed sources had told Dawn on Sunday that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had been in constant touch with Khan and had met him several times in recent days at the Parliament House and at his Islamabad residence.

A source in the PTI had also confirmed the meetings and said the interior minister had requested Khan to let Khattak join the government committee.

There were reports on Sunday that Nisar would also hold a meeting with the PTI chief soon.

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SYEDA SARA BATOOL

Mar 10, 2014 04:44pm

IMRAN KHAN should join committee himself for his satisfaction...afterall he a staunch supporter of so-called peace talks.lets what happens now.............

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Kashmir

Mar 10, 2014 04:57pm

As rightly said by Mr Imran Khan Sahab military operation is not the solution to the problem, dialogue is a way to solve the problem hats off to Mr Khan Sahab..

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khanm

Mar 10, 2014 05:01pm

It is an entrapment, Please don

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Bakhtawer Bilal

Mar 10, 2014 05:01pm

Hmmm, it would be more natural if IK would officially represent the TTP.

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Karachi Wala

Mar 10, 2014 05:07pm

If Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan both are really sincere and serious about these talks, my advise to them would be to sit face to face with TTP big shots and look into their eyes while negotiating. They then need to face the nation while looking directly into the eyes of camera and tell them the truth to them. It must be nothing but truth.

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citizen

Mar 10, 2014 06:24pm

I am no supporter of IK but I would sure like to know from the pro-war or pro-operation lobby, how they think this operation should proceed. Carpet bomb the whole place or what?

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Molona Hulwa Khor

Mar 10, 2014 07:03pm

@Karachi Wala: Very true, this is the only possible solution

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aaa

Mar 10, 2014 07:15pm

For the first time govt and imran khan seem really serious and sincere in their approach.

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gerry d'cunha

Mar 10, 2014 07:21pm

stress on imran's face has made him much older than his usual age

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samar

Mar 10, 2014 07:39pm

@syeda But which side ?

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Faisal

Mar 10, 2014 07:40pm

These committees are a joke unless you throw some weight behind them. For any serious talks, Nawaz, Imran and a representative of PPP, ANP and MQM must be sit face to face with TTP. If not then waste no more time and start a full scale operation.

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Ayaz

Mar 10, 2014 07:43pm

Is he motivated to help the Taliban or people of Pakistan????

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Umer

Mar 10, 2014 08:17pm

@Faisal: PPP and MQM don't want to negotiate. So why include them.

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Suhail Ahmad

Mar 10, 2014 08:23pm

@Ayaz: Pakistan - that is for sure. Whoever thinks otherwise, needs to have his/her brains checked.

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Seedoo

Mar 10, 2014 08:50pm

Whose representative will he be, TTP's or federal government's?

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Faisal

Mar 10, 2014 09:59pm

@Umer: PPP and MQM must be included, else we will have no representation from Sindh. Karachi should be high on talks with TTP. If govt makes a sincere offer to PPP/MQM, I am hopeful that they will join hands and it will bode well for the process. Though this whole thing looks like a trap set by TTP, may be best to launch the operation now and don't give them time to scale the mountains as weather improves in April.

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Fiz

Mar 10, 2014 11:12pm

Oh I see the connection now. Nisar and Imran cut out of the same cloth... spun by taliban!

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Islamabad

Mar 10, 2014 11:26pm

For all those who keep insisting that their preferred parties should be included for representation, This is not all party conference or a cultural event. Rather you should be giving out names..... Stand united for a change and have faith in one another. If it doesn't work we can always try it again but at least get your priorities straight. They have divided us and these political are just a cherry on top.

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sheikh

Mar 11, 2014 12:52am

@citizen: Most people have no idea about how the operation will pan out. What the repercussions will be and what will be the success level. Yet they oppose peace talks. Such is the nature of arm chair "experts".

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ahmed

Mar 11, 2014 12:58am

Gulzar Khan is a good choice but end result would be an operation but these efforts might help in bringing some groups to an agreement

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Danish

Mar 11, 2014 01:00am

@Kashmir: For how many years Pakistan is holding talks with India to resolve Kashmir issue? Any result? Stop living life of denial, operation against Taliban terror is the only solution to save Pakistan.

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Tariq, Lahore

Mar 11, 2014 01:18am

Being a realist, I've never been an optimist about holding talks with 'barbarians' who can only 'think' through the barrel of a gun and therefore are not party to cohesive, rationale arguments, the negotiations will eventually fail. The armed forces in that eventuality should be ready to go at a moments notice to eradicate the whole mess of the militants saga for once and for all!

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Imran Ahmed

Mar 11, 2014 01:50am

@citizen: If the alternative is to grovel before violent criminals who have killed tens of thousands of our brethren, and after grovelling, shower political gain on the cowardly murderers by breaking our constitution and laws? Yes. We should be prepared to kill or be killed. It is not a hard choice, we are being killed anyway and no talks will stop that, perhaps postpone the inevitable while we "negotiate" away our freedoms bit by bit until we truly become their slaves.

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Ayaz

Mar 11, 2014 06:32am

By enlisting for inclusion in the Government committee Imran wants to make sure that the Taliban get a better deal. Fairness demands that he be on the Taliban committee; his inclusion in the government committee would weaken the ordinary people's case for justice.

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Raza

Mar 11, 2014 08:35am

@Tariq, Lahore: You said it very loud and clear. Amen brother!

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Amir

Mar 11, 2014 08:59am

So we have Talibans negotiating with Talibans awesome

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ahmed

Mar 11, 2014 09:14am

PTI nominated Gulzar Khan for Govt Committee which is a good choice but end result would be an operation but these efforts might help in bringing some groups to an peace agreement

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Islamabad

Mar 11, 2014 10:05am

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Mithidada

Mar 11, 2014 03:26pm

Imran would never be a part of the committee. It is so much easier to criticise than to take responsibility. Imran will never, no matter what, give up his support for the Taliban. People in his party who think they are in a progressive, leftist party should first try to understand what these terms mean.

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ahmed

Mar 11, 2014 10:07pm

PTI nominated Gulzar Khan for Govt Committee which is a good choice but end result would be an operation but these efforts might help in bringing some groups to an peace agreement

Recommend 0

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