ISLAMABAD: Members from the negotiating committee representing the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in talks with the federal government on Thursday reached North Waziristan via special helicopter to meet with leaders from the Taliban shura, DawnNews reported.
The members who had left for the talks in North Waziristan were Maulana Yousuf Shah, who acts as contact person for the TTP, and Jamaat-i-Islami's Professor Ibrahim Khan.
Today’s meeting is aimed at deciding a time and venue for the shura's talks with the new government committee which would leave for tribal region soon after the details become clear.
Speaking to media representatives before the TTP negotiators' departure from Islamabad, Shah said the nation would soon receive some good news on the talks' front.
Shah said members of both committees needed to adopt a cautious approach, adding that the venue of a meeting between government representatives and the Taliban shura had not yet been decided.
Shah said the second round of talks is the 'decision-making' phase.
Moreover, Rahimullah Yousufzai, a member of the former government committee, said the ceasefire called upon by the Taliban had led to a change in scenario.
Advisor to Prime Minister on National Affairs Irfan Siddiqui said the two member Taliban nominated committee would give a report about its talks with the Taliban leadership after its return from Miramshah within two days.
Talking to mediamen, he said the talks had entered a crucial stage and after the report from the Taliban committee, further decision would be taken on how to take forward the talks process.
Siddiqui said after the report it would be clear, whether Taliban would hold direct talks or they would continue with indirect talks.
Newly-formed government committee
The newly-formed government committee, expected to begin its work for holding dialogue with militants in the coming days, comprises three serving bureaucrats and a former.
The government has said the new committee will be a “decision-making body” and the previous committee headed by Irfan Siddiqui was tasked only with establishing contacts with the militants.
The new committee comprises Habibullah Khan Khattak, Federal Secretary for Ports and Shipping; Arbab Muhammad Arif, Additional Chief Secretary of Fata; Fawad Hassan Fawad, Additional Secretary at Prime Minister’s Office; and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) member Rustam Shah Mohmand, who has served as chief secretary of the then North West Frontier Province and the country’s ambassador in Afghanistan.
All of them belong to the Pakistan Administrative Service, formerly known as the District Management Group (DMG).
Three members hail from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and have vast experience of working on the ground in different capacities in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas.