PESHAWAR
Expressing satisfaction over peace talks between the government and banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Shaukatullah Khan has dispelled reports about declaring a part of Waziristan as a non-military zone.
“There is no truth in reports about Taliban’s conditions or demands. Negotiations are in progress and both the sides are showing sense of responsibility and sincerity,” The governor said this while talking to reporters at Governor’s House on Sunday.
He also distributed Tamgha-e-Imtiaz awards among nine leading personalities of the province during Pakistan Day celebrations.
Referring to peace talks, the governor said it has been decided that the government and Taliban should go for direct talks and venue has already been decided for this purpose. He hoped that the talks would bear fruit.
Regarding involvement of tribesmen who are main stakeholders in the matter, the governor said, “Elders from all tribal agencies and regions have already endorsed the process.”
He, however, said that Rustam Shah Mohmand was not known as a leading technocrat but he belonged to the Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA. Likewise two other members of the committee, Habibullah Khan and Arbab Muhammad Arif, also have served in the tribal areas. On such grounds, he hoped that interests of the tribesmen would be safeguarded in any sort of agreement or patch up with the Taliban.
About latest reports regarding nomination of PML-N leader Mehtab Abbasi as new KP governor, Khan said, “So far, I have not received such message in this regard.” He, however, said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would definitely inform him in prior.
The governor said, “I am proud of serving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and adjoining Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA) as governor.”
He said that he believed in the constitution and determined to serve interests of the country and would welcome decision of the PM.
Earlier, the governor has decorated nine personalities with Tamgha-e-Imtiaz. The personalities were Dr Amin Badshah of Quaid-e¬-Azam University Islamabad, Prof Jasmin Shah of Peshawar University, Prof Dr Zahoor Ahmad Swati, Dr Sharifullah of National University of Science and Technology, Dr Akhtar Naeem of University of Engineering and Technology, Musician Nazir Gul, Prof Dr Nazir Ahmad Tabbassum, former Swat EDO Health Dr Bakht Jamal, and Dr Naeem Khan of UNHCR.