MULTAN: JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman says there is a need to keep the army in the loop on negotiations with the Taliban to achieve positive results.

Talking to newsmen here on Friday, the Maulana said the "governments come and go but the army is a permanent institution so there is a need to engage it in negotiations".

He said though the JUI was not satisfied with the mechanism of negotiations adopted by the government, it was ready to provide its assistance (in negotiations) whenever required.

He said peace could be maintained by engaging tribal jirga and all the armed groups.

"The negotiation process will become more effective by giving a role to the tribal jirga and I have suggested this to the prime minister as well," he said.

He said the time had passed to debate the launch of an operation (against the Taliban). Rather, it was time to debate a peaceful settlement.