ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government led by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N has decided to seek an extension in the one-month-long ceasefire from the Tehrik Taliban Pakistan (TTP) so that the dialogue with the group can go on smoothly.
Sources said yesterday that the government committee that met on Wednesday agreed that the ceasefire needed to be extended for a minimum of three months and, if possible, for an indefinite period.
Muhammad Ibrahim of the Taliban committee, when contacted, expressed his optimism that the Taliban would extend the one-month-long temporary ceasefire announced on March 1st. The TTP’s temporary deadline is ending in March but so far the government has not yet met the demands made by the TTP while announcing the ceasefire.
According to the sources, the recently-constituted government committee that met under the Interior Minister Nisar Ali on Wednesday showed its eagerness to have a face-to-face meeting with the TTP as soon as possible. It was observed that the first meeting between the two sides would be crucial, both for confidence building and to understand each other’s demands and expectations.
The government committee believes that since the one-month ceasefire announced by the Taliban is ending in 10-12 days, therefore, it was important to get the deadline extended for at least three months or if possible for an indefinite period.
The TTP had demanded the release of noncombatant women and children from the custody of the military and security authorities besides seeking an end to what they believed the extra-judicial killing of Taliban detainees.
The military authorities, however, denied that they had any noncombatant children or women in their custody.
They also refuted the allegation of extra-judicial killing of the Taliban detainees.
Following these denials from the military and security authorities, the TTP provided to the government a list of 300 women and children who, according to the Taliban, are in the custody of the military and security authorities. The government is now reportedly taking up the matter with the military and security authorities.
Because of the complexities involved in the issues attached with the peace process, the government believes that the contentious issues require time to get settled. INTERNEWS
