ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman spent a busy day on Monday during which he met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, followed by back-to-back meetings with ambassadors of the US and Saudi Arabia.

After the government’s decision to speed up its efforts for talks with the Taliban, analysts consider Maulana Fazl’s interactions with the American and Saudi envoys, after his meeting with the prime minister, as an important development.

They say both the US administration and Saudis have their interests to look after in the overall geo-strategic situation of the region and Pakistan’s planned talks with the Taliban.

While the US is worried about the security situation in Afghanistan after its troops left the country by the end of 2014, Saudi Arabia is concerned about Pakistan’s repositioning vis-à-vis Afghanistan and Iran in the coming years. Saudi Arabia played a key role in propping up the Taliban movement in Afghanistan in the 90s.

This is why the two countries are keenly following developments in Pakistan after its decision to hold talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. After all the TTP, as it had proclaimed on numerous occasions, runs its operations under the guidance of Afghan Taliban.

“Surely, the government is making use of all its resources and contacts for a positive outcome of the proposed negotiations with the TTP, and JUI-F being a government ally is one of them,” a government official told Dawn.

Asked if the government had chosen Maulana Fazl as the key player for talks with militants, the official said the government was getting input from all sides because it was a complicated issue.

The JUI-F has been a staunch supporter of dialogue with militants. Maulana Fazl had visited Kabul earlier this month and met Afghan President Hamid Karzai. US Secretary of State John Kerry was also in Afghanistan.

The media wing of the PM’s office and a JUI-F spokesman issued separate handouts about the meeting between Maulana Fazl and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The PM office said the two exchanged views on issues of national importance, with focus on national security and law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

JUI-F spokesman Jan Achakzai said: “Both leaders reviewed law and order situation, particularly talks with the Taliban, and expressed satisfaction that the government is pursuing dialogue with the Taliban with all honesty and soon the nation will be taken into confidence.”

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was also present during the meeting.

About Maulana Fazl’s meeting with US Ambassador Richard Olson, the spokesman said the envoy dispelled the impression that the American government was putting any pressure on Pakistan against its decision of holding dialogue with the Taliban.

“It is Pakistan’s internal security issue and government has a right to choose its response the way it considers best,” Ambassador Olsen was quoted as saying.

About Maulana Fazl’s meeting with Saudi Ambassador Abdul Aziz, the JUI-F spokesman told newsmen that the two discussed overall security situation of the region and agreed to work in unison for the betterment of Pakistan.