Pakistani parliament will take ownership of peace talks with TTP, says interior minister

ISLAMABAD – A key minister in Pakistan's federal cabinet said on Wednesday that peace talks with the militant group, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), would be held within the constitutional framework and the country's parliament would take ownership of these talks.

Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan said after a key meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, which discussed the ongoing talks with the outlawed TTP, the participants were “comprehensively” briefed about the situation with the TTP and the situation on the Pak-Afghan border.

He said the meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by the heads of all political parties and the military leadership.

Khan said it was decided at the meeting that the parliament would be taken into confidence in an in-camera session on talks with the TTP.

“The talks, which are happening, will move forward in the ownership and guidance of the parliament. And a basic principle has been identified that the talks will be held under the Constitution and peace will be achieved under the law and the constitution,” the initerior minister said.

داخلی اور خارجہ سطح پر لاحق خطرات اور ان کے تدارک کے لئے قومی سلامتی کے ذمہ دار اداروں کی جانب سے کئے جانے والے اقدامات سے آگاہ کیا گیا۔ پاکستان نے افغانستان میں امن واستحکام کے لئے نہایت ذمہ دارانہ اور مثبت کردار ادا کیا ہے۔

— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@RanaSanaullahPK) June 22, 2022

جس پر حتمی فیصلہ آئین پاکستان کی روشنی میں پارلیمنٹ کی منظوری، مستقبل کے لئے فراہم کردہ راہنمائی اور اتفاق رائے سے کیاجائے گا۔

دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں پاکستان کی کاوشوں اور قربانیوں کو دنیا نے تسلیم کیا۔

— Rana SanaUllah Khan (@RanaSanaullahPK) June 22, 2022

Responding to questions after the briefing, Khan said the military leadership at the committee meeting briefed the participants without giving any proposals.

He said that PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari fully supported the dialogue and called for ownership and guidance from the parliament. He said the military leadership also agreed that parliament should take ownership and provide guidance for the dialogue.

“The decision will be made by the parliament,” Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said.