News World Sharif tells committee to initiate talks with Taliban

Sharif tells committee to initiate talks with Taliban

Islamabad: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today directed a recently formed four-member committee to immediately initiate peace talks with the banned Pakistani Taliban.Talking to members of the committee here, he expressed his desire to achieve the



Two members of the committee - Mohmand and Yusufzai - met Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan and sought his recommendations for the proposed talks.  

Khan said the committee should ensure a ceasefire and make the talks effective.

The committee members briefed him about their authority and directions given to them by the Prime Minister.

Though Sharif did not appoint any of the members as the head of the committee, he announced that the Interior Minister would serve as a focal person for the panel. Sharif will supervise the dialogue process himself.  

The government has not specified a timeframe for the peace process or announced modalities for the proposed dialogue.  

Critics have pointed that the Taliban used all previous peace deals to consolidate their position in the country's northwest and adjoining tribal areas.

All peace deals with the Taliban collapsed within months, they have said.

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