Pakistani Interior Minister seeks joint stand on talks with Taliban

Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik has urged all political parties to take joint stand on holding talks with Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, which made a conditional offer for dialogue last week. “All political parties should make joint decision on holding talks with Taliban and its modalities,” the minister told journalists at the Lahore airport on Sunday before leaving for Karachi, according to (DAWN.COM) He claimed that it was the federal government’s policy which had forced the Taliban to come to the negotiating table. In reply to a question, the minister said he had never blamed any political party for its involvement in terrorist activists and only named Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan (now Ahl-i-Sunnat Wal Jamaat), Laskhar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Muhammad and Jaish-i-Muhammad in this regard. Malik claimed that elements behind acts of terror in Karachi would soon be exposed.