Pakistan hopes for ‘result-oriented’ resumption of TTP talks

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Friday that the government wanted to make next round of talks with the Pakistani Taliban meaningful and result-oriented. Addressing a news conference, he said any progress towards next round of direct talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), was expected to be made in few days. The minister said the government's broader agenda was focused on restoration of peace in the country. Nisar said he wanted that the next meeting of the Taliban-government committees should be decisive and both sides should put their agendas on the table. He said the government was not responsible for the delay in the dialogue process, as it had been decided during the last two rounds that Taliban would convey the date and venue of the next round. The interior minister said the dialogue process was the only option to bring peace in the country. Head of Taliban negotiation committee Maulana Samiul Haq, on Wednesday had admitted that the negotiation process between government and TTP has been suspended for the time being. He claimed that some ‘powerful elements’ were trying to derail the peace process to pave the way for operation in tribal areas. Maulana Samiul Haq had asked Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to play his role in making the negations a success. Speaking about Islamabad’s security situation today, Chaudhary Nisar said a new system of security would be introduced in the federal capital from next week. Under the new arrangement, police and Rangers would ensure round-the-clock patrolling to check street crimes and other incidents, he informed. Replying to a question, he said there were five Pakistani nationals detained in Guantanamo Bay prison and the government was trying to bring them back.