ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Saturday agreed to hold direct talks within a few days at a mutually agreed place, but both would not divulge the location to the media. The decision to this effect was announced after the four-member government committee headed by federal secretary Habibullah Khattak on Saturday held a detailed meeting with the Taliban coordination committee led by Maulana Samiul Haq, head of his own faction of the JUI. "The two sides (TTP and the government) have agreed upon a venue for the next phase of negotiations, which will take place soon," Samiul Haq informed. "The process of directly contacting the Taliban will start in two to three days; both sides have agreed on the venue," he told reporters after a two-hour meeting held at the Punjab House Islamabad, which was also attended by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan.
The Taliban coordination committee was represented by its chief Maulana Samiul Haq, Professor Ibrahim and Maulana Yousuf Shah, while Habibullah Khattak led the government team, which included Fawad Hasan Fawad, Rustam Shah Mohmand and Arbab Arif.
| And there was no drone overhead? |
Earlier, media reports said that the TTP had proposed its stronghold of North Waziristan as the venue, while the government wanted to hold talks in Bannu. Sami, however, stopped short of specifying the negotiation venue. Officials say it could possibly be Bannu, KP.
"Both sides are showing flexibility and willingness for success of the talks," he added, saying the chosen place would be declared a "peace zone". He, however, didn't specify the location. Another member of the committee, Maulana Yousuf Shah, said Saturday's meetings between the two committees were an important breakthrough. "The nation will soon hear a good news," he asserted.
Meanwhile, sources said the Punjab House meeting also deliberated upon the list of 'prisoners' in government detention, which was provided by the Taliban. The two sides also discussed the release of persons kidnapped and held hostage by the militants, the sources said.
The keenly observed peace talks between the government and Taliban are likely to be held at a venue in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while the option to hold parleys at Bannu airport is seriously being considered due to many important reasons, security sources told Daily Times on Saturday.
"Bannu airport is located in an area where the government has its writ. Secondly, the government held talks at the same venue with former Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan leader, Baitullah Mehsud, who was killed in a US drone strike in August 2009," a security official told this scribe on the condition of anonymity.
| And you see how well that turned out... |