Pakistani Taliban offer security to peace negotiators

The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in a statement to media has offered to provide security and protection to members of the negotiating committees in areas under its influence. The TTP spokesman, Shahidullah Shahid, in his statement said that the political Shura of Taliban would guide the five-member committee nominated by it. Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif announced formation of a four-member committee, assisted by the Interior Minister to hold dialogue with the TTP. The committee comprises the Premier Advisor on National Affairs Irfan Siddique, Major (Retd) Aamir, renowned journalist, Rahimullah Yousafzai, and Rustam Shah Mohmand, former Ambassador to Afghanistan and expert on Afghanistan affairs. TTP in response to the formation of the committee, nominated Chief of ruling political party in northern province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Imran Khan; religious clerics Samil ul Haq, Prof Ibraheem, Maulana Abdul Aziz and Mufti Kifyatullah to represent the militants in the negotiations. The TTP spokesman said that the government should not repeat the mistakes of its predecessors when negotiations were used as a weapon against the Taliban and, therefore, peace could not be restored. The religious political party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, have summoned high-level meetings of their party, respectively, to deliberate on the decision of Taliban pertaining to representing TTP. Meanwhile, Maulana Sami contacted Imran Khan and urged him to accept Taliban's offer. Other proposed team members have yet not come up with a confirmation whether they are ready to represent Tailban in talks.