...formerly the capital of Pakistain, now merely its most important port and financial center. It is among the largest cities in the world, with a population of 18 million, most of whom hate each other and many of whom are armed and dangerous...
has dealt a serious blow to the dialogue process and that it will take lots of efforts to put the process back on track.
Give it a week. It'll be forgotten. Quick now, what was the highest corpse count even of last week?... See what I mean?
The member who didn't want to speak on record said: "Despite recent kabooms in Beautiful Downtown Peshawar
...capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province), administrative and economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan. Peshawar is situated near the eastern end of the Khyber Pass, convenient to the Pak-Afghan border. Peshawar has evolved into one of Pakistan's most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities, which means lots of gunfire.
... we were going ahead with the grinding of the peace processor because the Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) distanced itself from these acts. Since the TTP has claimed the credit for the attack on coppers in Karachi, the government side expects lots of clarifications."
On his part, coordinator of the government team Irfan Siddiqui described the killing of over a dozen coppers in the attack as a "serious setback to the talks" which has put everyone involved in the process, including Prime Minister
Nawaz Sharif... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
, on the back foot.
The Thursday's bombing in Karachi, according to the member, had pushed three members of the government's committee into a tight spot because "we can't remain part of a process that doesn't lead to peace, but to death and destruction".
Journalist Rahimullah Yousufzai, former ambassador Rustam Shah Mohmand and retired army officer Major Amir are members of the government's four-man committee in which only Irfan Siddiqui holds a formal government position, special assistant to prime minister on national affairs
Talking to Dawn, Rustam Shah said that Thursday's bombing in Karachi had dealt a "severe and serious setback" to the talks after which the government would have to decide whether it still wanted dialogue with krazed killers.
He referred to Jan 29's speech of the prime minister in the National Assembly in which he had categorically clarified that talks and acts of terror could not go together.
The prime minister's stance was reiterated by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan who was in Karachi on Thursday to oversee the ongoing targeted operation in the metropolis.
"However,
denial ain't just a river in Egypt...
I personally believe, the grinding of the peace processor should be given time because both sides have suffered heavy losses over past 10 to 12 years and will take time to find common ground," said Rustam Shah in reply to a question.
On the chances of success of talks after the Karachi incident, the former ambassador said the only way forward at the moment was formal declaration of ceasefire by both sides which could provide a breathing space to thrash out contentious issues. "Otherwise, things will become more difficult."
If the talks fail, Rustam Shah said, the only workable option for the government would be to launch a targeted operation. A full-fledged military assault in North
Wazoo Agency will only result in deaths of poor villagers because the war-hardened Taliban will run away.Without revealing the contents of the letter which the government committee wrote to Taliban negotiators on Thursday, he said it was part of the effort to create a situation which could lead to declaration of a ceasefire.
When asked, Irfan Siddiqui also refused to share the contents of the letter. "It is part of the deal any detail related to the grinding of the peace processor will be made public with the consent of the two committees which stops me from speaking on the letter," he said.
However,
denial ain't just a river in Egypt...
Mr Siddiqui was appeared to have been disturbed by the Karachi bombing.He said despite all odds the prime minister initiated the dialogue process and the government still hoped it would help to restore peace in the country.
No member of the Taliban committee was available for comment on the effects of Thursday's bombing in Karachi.
Probably they weren't prepared to answer questions after the TTP accepted the responsibility for the attack, commented a member of the government team.