“There is a deadlock-like situation in the talks process after silence from both the sides (the government and TTP),” Professor Mohammad Ibrahim, a member of the Taliban negotiation committee and provincial chief of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), told reporters here on Friday.
He said the army was not happy over the release of prisoners. “We can only pray that the talks restart, so that peace could be restored in the country,” he added.The second round of direct talks between the government negotiators and the TTP Shura was expected during the current week for which the date and venue were being decided. However, the process seems to have been delayed due to the new developments, including the ongoing clashes between two TTP factions of Mehsud tribal militants.
After the Islamabad fruit market blast on Wednesday, Prof Ibrahim had said that the ceasefire announced by the TTP was still intact and that the bombing was an effort to sabotage the peace process.
The TTP, in a statement, had denied its involvement in the Islamabad blast. The ceasefire first announced by the TTP on March 1 ended on April 10. Meanwhile, addressing a function of party workers, JI local leader Bahrullah expressed concern over the creation of hurdles in the talks. “The province can’t afford burying more bodies of those killed in terrorist attacks,” said Bahrullah.
He asked the government to take the military leadership into confidence over the peace process. “Talks are the only solution to the issue of terrorism, not a military operation,” claimed Bahrullah.
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