ISLAMABAD: Talks between the government and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) do not seem to be moving ahead, Lal Masjid Khateeb Maulana Abdul Aziz said, adding that only ordinary people would suffer in the case of a military operation, DawnNews reported.
Speaking to media representatives outside the Islamabad High Court, Aziz, who is also a negotiator for the TTP, said the government and the Taliban would have to come together, adding that dialogue was the only workable option to the issue.
Aziz further said that until the country's laws would not be shaped in accordance with the Holy Quran and Sunnah, the country would continue to suffer from such circumstances.
Last week, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif had said that Pakistan could launch a full-scale military operation against Pakistani Taliban insurgents in the tribal areas as early as this month, warning insurgents against violating a ceasefire.
Also last week, the army quashed the talk of its involvement in peace talks with militants as its top brass reportedly observed that holding the dialogue was a government initiative.
The government has been preparing for the second stage of the dialogue with militants in which it is planning to open a direct channel with the Taliban from this week.
Media had been speculating that the government had wanted army representation in the new team that would negotiate with leaders from the outlawed group.