ISLAMABAD: Members of a high-powered committee formed by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to initiate peace talks with the Taliban arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for consultations prior to their meeting with the premier.

The prime minister had announced Wednesday that his government had decided to give peace another chance by pursuing negotiations with Taliban militants despite a recent spate of attacks.

Shairf also named a four-member committee to facilitate the talks.

Highly credible sources told Dawn News that members of the committee – Peshawar-based senior journalist Rahimullah Yousafzai, former Ambassador Rustam Shah Mohmand, former ISI official Maj (retd) Amir Shah – have arrived in Islamabad and are holding consultations to chalk out their strategy.

The fourth member of the committee, columnist and Special Assistant to the PM on National Affairs Irfan Sidduqi, is already based in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Sharif has called a meeting of the committee on Friday at the PM House to discuss the next step in the proposed dialogue process with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).