FAISALABAD, Nov 13: The Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) on Wednesday set the terms and conditions for a Manazra (religious debate) which the Taliban had `offered` to hold with the conglomerate of various parties representing the Sunni sect.

In a traditional Manazra, usually the religious scholars representing two divergent faiths or sects hold a live debate with each side advancing arguments to justify its stance.

The debate proposed by the Taliban to the SIC, if ever held, would most probably be centered around the question of `martyrdom`, recently sparked by a statement by Jmaat-i-Islami amir Syed Munawwar Hassan in which he doubted that the Pakistan Army men dying in the line of duty in war on terror could be considered `martyrs` At a press conference here on Tuesday, SIC chairman Sahibzada Hamid Raza said the Council members were ready to hold debate with the Taliban, saying that discussion and not guns and explosives was the solution to problems.

Detailing the conditions for the proposed Manazara, the SIC chief asked the Taliban to choose the core point of the debate which should be held live either at Islamabad, Peshawar, Lahore or Karachi and covered by the media.

He said religious scholars, Supreme Court judges, senior journalists and lawyers of undisputed stature and reputeshould be arbitrators of the debate.

Mr Raza asked the government to provide security during the debate and it should be ensured that all participants would come unarmed.

He also demanded a written pledge from the Taliban that they would abandon militancy and accept the Constitution of Pakistan if they lost the Manazara.

`The Taliban should also announce (in advance) the names of the persons and their aides who will take part in the debate,` he added.

Mr Raza said the SIC finalised the conditions at a meeting of its members after detailed deliberations.

`We will not runaway from debate and try to convince the Taliban in the light of Quran and Sunnah,` he added.

The SIC also termed the US drone attacks on Pakistan`s territory a violation of international rules, inhuman and unethical. They said all innocent people being killed in these strikes were `martyrs` urging the government to take a strong stance against the US in this regard.

He termed the statement of Jamat-i-Islami chief Munawar Hassan against Quran and Sunnah and called it `rebellion` against state.

Hamid Raza said the `dialogue` between the government and the Taliban was a drama and if some one had any proof that the process was on it should be made public.