Govt negotiators looking at TTP demand to meet PM, COAS, DG ISI

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ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Pervez Rashid on Friday said the government committee was taking into consideration the demand by the Taliban committee to meet the prime minister, army chief and director general Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), DawnNews reported.

Speaking to media representatives, Rashid said the government was awaiting recommendations from its negotiators on the demand put forth by the Taliban committee, adding that whatever recommendations are brought forward would be facilitated and implemented by the government.

The federal minister said every possible help would be extended to government negotiators and helicopter services would also be provided in case there was a need to send the team for peace talks to Waziristan.

On the matter of legality of these talks, the minister said the option of a peaceful discourse remained viable in the areas where Taliban held greater influence.

Furthermore, Rashid said talks were not unconstitutional as it was a form of putting a stop to unlawful activities.

He gave the examples of US and UK and said these countries also used the option of negotiations and talks.

In the first meeting held between the two teams of negotiators on Feb 6, the government committee demanded that talks be held within the framework of the constitution, and that the scope of the dialogue be limited to only the insurgency-affected areas of Pakistan.

The Taliban team had demanded that their meetings be held with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the army chief and DG ISI.

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