ISLAMABAD: Members of the government and the Pakistani Taliban negotiating committees on Wednesday reached a consensus regarding extending the ceasefire, the latter had ended last week, DawnNews reported.
The decision was taken at the meeting, which took place at Punjab House and had extension of the ceasefire, release of non-combatant Taliban prisoners and establishment of a peace zone high on the agenda.
It had been convened by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and was the first joint meeting of the committees after the TTP’s announcement of ending the ceasefire.
Speaking to media representatives after the meeting, head of the TTP negotiators' committee, Maulana Samiul Haq said that an atmosphere of confidence and trust was prevailing on both the sides.
He said the two committees have agreed to form a new subcommittee to address reservations shown by both sides.
The chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-S), who is known as “Father of Taliban” in the West, said that his committee will try to arrange a meeting with the TTP Shura this week.
“We will ask the Taliban leadership for steps that can prove productive for restoration of peace in the country,” he said.
An official had earlier told Dawn that the progress of the peace process would be reviewed during the meeting.
Another official had said that the government expected the TTP not only to extend the ceasefire but also to reciprocate its goodwill gesture of releasing 19 non-combatant Taliban.
Speaking to reporters prior to the start of the meeting, Maulana Samiul Haq said no deadlock existed in the dialogue, adding that the talks were happening after a delay only due to unrelated issues.
Before the meeting began, Chaudhry Nisar met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and briefed the premier on the latest developments in the dialogue.
The government has been trying to negotiate a peace deal with the TTP in efforts to end years of fighting in the country's northwest that has killed thousands of people.
After the talks formally began, the TTP had announced a one-month ceasefire on March 1 and then extended it for another 10 days. But last Wednesday, the Taliban said they would not renew the ceasefire, though they would still continue talks with the government.
The Taliban statement that called off the ceasefire did not explicitly say whether the group would refrain from or resume attacks against government forces.