Increase font size Decrease font size Reset font size

Ibrahim fears sabotage if peace talks delayed

Bureau Report 2014-03-20
PESHAWAR: Jamaat-iIslami provincial amir Professor Mohammad Ibrahim Khan has said any delay in taking the government-Taliban dialogue process forward can provide an opportunity to anti-peace elements to sabotage the negotiations.

Talking to mediapersons at Al-Markaz-i-Islami here on Wednesday, the JI leader, who is also a member of the TTP`s negotiating team, said that he didn`t have any information regarding Taliban`s claim that over 300 non-combatants, including women, children and elderly, were in the custody of security forces.

He said Taliban wanted formation of a commission to visit the areas where these people were allegedly kept to authenticate their claim.

Professor Ibrahim suggested direct talks between government and Taliban to bring peace to the country on a fast track basis. `Any delay in taking the peace process to its logical conclusion could cause serious problems,` he said.

He said the peace process had entered a decisive phase as Taliban Shura, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar and other key government figures had felt the need for restoring durable peace in the country.

The JI leader said the entire nation wanted to hear the good news about the peace process.

Professor Ibrahim said that he didn`t buy the Taliban stance that Pakistan`s constitution was un-Islamic. `I cannot shut my eyes to the fact that many renowned scholars and political personalities had signed the constitution when it was drafted.