ISLAMABAD- Ruling party Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz is witnessing serious rift among its party members on the issue of whether to sustain dialogue with Taliban or launch a military offensive in North Waziristan Agency (NWA).

As the nation is facing a clear divide on the issue of initiating dialogue process with Taliban or launching a massive scale military operation in North Waziristan Agency, the ruling party is also witnessing a clear rift among its top columns on the issue.

Feeling the heat of the situation with in party and on national canvas, the party president Nawaz Sharif recently has barred the party leaders from issuing statements in this connection.

According to sources, one faction within party comprised of Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, State Minister for Interior Baligur Rehman, Raja Zafarulhaq, Chaudhry Jafer Iqbal, Ehsan Iqbal, Chaudhry Jafer Iqbal Gujar and Siddiqul Farooq along with other party leaders are in support with initiating negotiations with Taliban.

The group within PML-N considers dialogues with Taliban as an only option to avoid bloodshed and violence across the country as well as believing that dialogues would lead further to lay down of arms by religious militants, who might become part of national main stream latter.

According to sources, the second faction within the party includes Federal Minister for Defence Khawaja Mohammad Asif, President PML-N Balochistan Mir Hasil Khan Bazinjo, Sheikh Rohail Asghar, Sheikh Akram and other party MNAs who believe that military operation in North Waziristan Agency against Taliban and other foreign militant groups is in best interest of the country and its sovereignty.

They are of the opinion that having dialogues with militants would instigate other militant groups to raise arm to get their demands fulfilled as well as at least foreign armed groups should be ousted from the land. These leaders also question the legitimacy of dialogues with illegitimate armed groups giving them status of a parallel state.

Senator syed Zafar Ali Shah during an exclusive media sitting with Online denied of any rift among the party columns on the issue of dialogues or military operation. Shah observed that there was no rift among party columns and party was united on the issue following the directions from the party’s top bras.

However, he clarified that Taliban or any other groups would be treated with an iron hand if they carry out any strike against the public or the state organs, saying as, “every action would have a bitter reaction and those behind the violence would have to face the music.”