Daily Times

Sir: The reasons for the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) are beyond the comprehension of the common man. Both the negotiating parties are unable to devise a mutually agreeable solution to the deteriorating security situation in the country. Rather they are blaming each other for non-cooperation.

The Taliban, despite getting many of their men freed, still want the government to release more imprisoned militants. They claim that those released earlier on their demand, in addition to those released as a goodwill gesture by the government, were not the ones they had asked for. Hence the government should make sure of releasing the right people the next time.

The government seems to have only a one-point agenda: extending the ceasefire as long as possible. The 30-day-long ceasefire, which was later extended by 10 more days, thanks to the TTP’s generosity, was not enough for the government to reach a point of agreement with the militant outfit.

Moreover, the fact that more than 50 terrorist outfits operate in Pakistan makes it difficult for the government to establish peace in the country. It is not even sure that all of them would abide by any verdict given by the TTP. Of course, the only way left then would be to deal with the warmongers with an iron hand. For this, the government must first resolve the current peace talks puzzle.

It is time the government took a decision to establish peace in the country. Dragging the issue for long may completely halt the peace process.

Ahsan Ali Shaikh

Karachi