PESHAWAR - The federal government has formally contacted Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to present a name so that to give proper representation to the province in the committee that the federal government will form for holding talks with Taliban, sources said on Friday.
Sources said that the federal government has called Chief Minister KP Pervez Khattak and asked for a name for the government committee which will be formed in the near future for holding talks with Taliban. In this connection, the KP CM has also discussed it with allied parties in the coalition government, however, a formally meeting to choose a name for the committee would take place in a couple of days.
A provincial minister on condition of anonymity confirmed it to The Nation that the federal government has asked KP CM to nominate a person to represent the province in the committee which will negotiate with Taliban, in the second decisive phase which will take place soon.
The minister said that in this connection, a formal meeting of the coalition parties would be convened and different names would be discussed. He, however, did not disclose, whose name, his party would recommend for the purpose. He said that his party would present a name that would be acceptable to all.
ARMY INCLUSION NOT TALIBAN'S DEMAND: IBRAHIM
Staff Reporter from Charsadda adds: Member of Taliban negotiation committee Professor Ibrahim has said that their committee has never demanded inclusion of army in the dialogue process, however, Taliban have wished that if the government could include them then it would be a positive step.
He said this while talking to media after concluding monthly academic session of Jamaat-e-Islami here in Charsadda on Thursday.  To a question regarding the Islamabad attack, he claimed that Indian intelligence agency RAW is involved in the attack.
He said that Taliban have repeatedly said that they are not involved in terrorist activities and if any agreement was inked with government, it will be acceptable to all Taliban factions. He said that Taliban have assured that they will not support that group who violates agreements with government.  When asked that Taliban are not condemning the killing of innocent people, Ibrahim said that they will tell Taliban to condemn these attacks in future.
He said that the dialogue committee has not been dissolved rather it has been strengthened by increasing its membership.
He wished that both the committees hold direct dialogue to remove each other's reservations but unfortunately there are several hurdles in this process as visits to North Waziristan Agency is not an easy task and drone always hovering in that area to target militants.