PESHAWAR: Jamaat-i-Islami has asked government to use diplomatic channels and other countries for holding talks with Taliban government in Afghanistan to stop infiltration of militants from the neighbouring country.

Jamaat-i-1slami provincial deputy head Inayatullah Khan said that negotiations with Afghan Taliban failed in thepast because stakeholders, parliament and political parties were not taken onboard.

Addressing a news conference at Peshawar Press Club on Thursday,hesaidthat JIrejected the decision of federal government to launch a military operation. He said that JI was ready to join hands with other political parties for launching a `resist-ance movement` against operation Azm-i-Istehkam Pakistan.

Mr Khan said that the military operation would further increase distances between army and people. He said that seven large and 12 small scale military operations were carried out in the province and erstwhile tribal areas during the last 20 years that destroyed infrastructure.He added militancy was increased afterthe operations.

The JI leader said that more than five million people had to leave their homes and more than 60,000 shops and houses were destroyed in the operations. He added that people lived a miserable life in camps but militancy could not be rooted out.

He demanded that checkpostsof army and Frontier Corps should be replaced with police.

He said that army should focus on Pakistan-Afghanistan border. He added that police`s capabilities could not be enhanced despite several military operations.

Mr Khan also expressed reservations over imposition of taxes inMalakand division andmerged districts. Bureau Report