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Sunday 9 March 2014

Pakistan agreed to form a new path for Taliban relation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday met Taliban representatives and agreed to form a new committee having decision-making powers to negotiate directly with dreaded terror alliance.

The decision was taken at a breakfast meeting Sharif hosted at his official residence with Taliban and government negotiators for peace talks in an attempt to end seven-year long insurgency. 

Sources said the new committee, expected to be formed in next few days, will include members from the ruling PML-N, the army, ISI, provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and other stakeholders. 

"We have asked the prime minister to form a new committee having effective powers," said Irfan Siddiqui, Sharif's advisor on national security. "More sensitive issues will come up for discussion in the next phase of talks. Therefore a mechanism for direct contacts with Taliban is required.'' 

Rahimullah Yusufzai, a veteran journalist and a member of government committee present at the meeting, told media: "We have proposed that those who have authority to make decisions should be part of this committee. There should be representatives from the government and the military in the committee." 

Following the meeting, Maulana Samiul Haq, the head of the Taliban nominated negotiating team, told journalists a unanimous decision had been taken regarding a new strategy for peace talks to continue. 

"Matters have come to point where talks could not move forward without the inclusion of members from authoritative circles," the cleric said, adding that members from both committees will visit North Waziristan tribal region to hold talks with the Taliban council. 

The dialogue process was initiated last month. But it broke down after Taliban-linked insurgents executed 23 abducted soldiers, triggering air strikes against suspected terrorist hideouts in the north-west tribal regions. The dialogue resumed after the Taliban announced a month-long unilateral ceasefire recently. 

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