ISLAMABAD, Sept 10: A day after the political leadership unanimously agreed to hold dialogue with the Taliban, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Tuesday that a framework for talks was ready.

He said at a press conference that it would be an integrated and all-encompassing dialogue. The first interaction between the government and the Taliban would determine what the two sides wanted from each other, he added.

The minister said the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had not set any preconditions for talks.

He refused to answer questions seeking details of the process or the issues to be taken up. According to him, it is not the time to discuss the nitty-gritty. “These are very complicated negotiations. There are no quick fixes. We know what we are doing. We are moving in a calculated manner to bring back peace to the country.”

He said the original offer for talks from the Taliban died down at an initial stage in May when a drone attack killed TTP deputy chief Waliur Rehman. He said the drone strike sabotaged the process and the Taliban refused to hold talks with the new government.

Chaudhry Nisar said the decision to hold dialogue was ‘home-made’, without any external pressure or influence. It was not meant to appease any external power.

He said the entire political leadership was unanimous that it was the right way which could improve the situation in the country and the region.

He said a military dictator had thrust a war upon Pakistan, leading to deaths and destruction in the country. “These are after-effects of 9/11.”

He pointed out that the attack had taken place in New York and none of the attackers was either a Pakistani or Afghan, but Pakistan suffered the most because of the blowback. Suicide attacks in Pakistan started only after 2004, he added.

The minister said there was a need to come out of the situation through sagacity and wisdom. “This is the time to apply balm to the wounds of the bleeding country. We have fought for 12 years,” he said and stressed that there must be an objective for a conflict.

He welcomed the message coming from the Taliban after the APC adopted a joint resolution and termed it a good omen. He said the mode to be adopted for talks would be dignified.

He said this APC was different from previous ones because the stance adopted by the participants reflected national interests.

Chaudhry Nisar said it was the result of homework done for about two months. He said many background meetings had taken place before the APC and consultations were held with leaders also in separate meetings.

He said nobody had called for excluding any group from the peace process at a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet.

He said the draft of internal security policy was ready and proposals of the provinces were awaited.

He said during a pre-APC meeting with PTI chairman Imran Khan, Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani had made it clear that there was no recorded agreement with the United States allowing drone strikes inside Pakistan’s territory.The minister said a decision to take the issue of drone attacks to the UN Security Council would be taken after studying legal and international aspects and implications.