Islam Times - Islamabad to continue peace talks with Taliban despite end of ceasefire

Islam Times - The Pakistani Cabinet announced on Thursday it decided to continue peace talks with the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in spite of recent tensions and differences of opinions, media reported.

Such decision was made during the National Security Committee meeting which that took place at the Prime Minister House in Islamabad, on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and attended by both government officials and military officers.

It is important to mention that Taliban has announced it would not extend the ceasefire which ended on April 10th.

Representing the government, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid attended the meeting.

Representing the armed forces, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Asif Sandeela, Chief of Air Force Tahir Rafiq, director general (DG) of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), DG Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Chairman Joint Chief of Staff Committee General Rashid Mahmood also attended the meeting.

Issues such as -- Karachi operation, Afghan elections, peace negotiations with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the security situation in the country -- were all discussed at the meeting.

According to sources close to the matter, it was Pakistan will not interfere in Afghanistan and will support whoever is elected during Afghanistan’s presidential.

During the meeting DG ISI and DG IB briefed the committee about the security situation in the country and Aziz gave a briefing about Pakistan’s policy with regards to Afghanistan.