Next round of talks in three to four days

ISLAMABAD: Professor Ibrahim Khan, who attended the first round of talks with the TTP, said on Thursday that the two committees could make the next trip to the tribal areas in three to four days.

He admitted that both the committees had not only presented their respective demands already submitted again but a few additional proposals were also put up for consideration. “Certainly, the government committee will be discussing and taking fresh instructions on these issues,” said the TTP intermediary.

Talking to The News by telephone, Prof Ibrahim said: “This is first time that the prime minister braving all criticism by his own party leaders and opposition decided to take the talks process to its logical end.”

“In so many years, both the armed forces and the government have developed a different attitude towards the militancy while the TTP and its allied groups have also developed a tendency of resistance. Both will have to undergo a serious change so that confidence is built between them during the coming meetings,” he said.Prof Ibrahim said the negotiators were facing lots of difficulties due to lack of confidence but it was not difficult to overcome these difficulties once trust was developed.