Airstrikes sabotaged Taliban talks: Sami

• JUI-S chief says militants were ready to hold meaningful talks

Chief of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Sami (JUI-S) and Difa-e-Pakistan Council President Maulana Samiul Haq disclosed Tuesday that the banned Tehreek-e-Talban Pakistan (TTP) was ready to hold meaningful dialogues with the government but the air strikes sabotaged the process.
Speaking at a two-day conference on Afghanistan issue organised by ‘Fikr-o-Amal’ at a local hotel, Sami said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had requested him on December 29, 2013, to initiate peace talks with the TTP.
“I had requested that if he assures an end to drone attacks and pulling the country out of the US war, then I am ready to hold talks with the Taliban, but he refused to accept the conditions. However, despite this I contacted the Taliban,” he said.
He said on the PM’s persuasion, he contacted the Taliban leadership who according to him showed their eagerness to hold objective and meaningful dialogue. He said he tried to contact the prime minister to apprise him of the outcome of his contact but he was not allowed to meet him from January 3 to 15 and later air strikes were carried out in the tribal areas which spoiled the atmosphere which was developed for the talks.
Sam believed that some forces had stopped the prime minister from initiating peace talks with the Taliban. He said those who are opposing talks with the TTP wanted to see Pakistan Army soldiers die in an uncalled for war.
The JUI-S leader said that the Afghan problem could only be solved if Afghan elites and Afghan resistance groups sit on a negotiation table. He said he had asked the Afghan president Hamid Karzai to establish contacts with Taliban and he will perform his role to carving a soft corner in their hearts. He said war of independence is being fought in Afghanistan and the sacrifices laid down by the people over there will not go in vain; a day will come when Afghanistan will definitely get liberation.