Pakistan Prime Minster Nawaz Sharif has decided to move ahead with peace talks with the Taliban. The announcements comes at a time when there is strong speculation the Pakistan government was planning to authorize a large-scale operation against radical militants.
Sharif is hoping to restore peace in the country and expressed optimism the Taliban shares the same goal. Sharif also said that he agrees with the proposals of two major political parties the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) to hold open and transparent talks with Taliban.
Ironically the announcement came on the same day that militants targeted paramilitary soldiers, killing at least three law enforcing personnel in a separate of bomb attack in Karachi. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) later claimed responsibility for the attacks.
The Taliban are united under Moulvi Fazlullah, the man behind the attack on Mala Yousefzai in October 2012 and is considered a hardliner among TTP’s other leaders.
Headed by Prime Minister Sharif, senior journalist, Rahimullah Yousafzai, former Ambassador Rustam Shah Mohmand, former ISI official Maj (retd.) Amir Shah and columnist, Irfan Siddiqui are the among the 4-member peace committee.
