ISLAMABAD - Not much optimistic about the ongoing peace parleys with militants Chief of Quami Watan Party Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao has said that the incumbent four-member government committee has not the true representation and backing of political leadership of Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and the elders from FATA.
Talking exclusively to The Nation on this lingering issue of dialogue, which seemed directionless right now, Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao, a veteran mainstream politician from KP, said that the committee comprising serving and retired bureaucrats could not handle such a complex issue, especially when the mainstream political parties from the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province and elders from FATA were totally kept away from the process, and that was the main reason that things had come to standstill after a certain level and not moving forward.
To a question Sherpao said that it was a complex issue and before embarking on this treacherous path the government should have taken on board the mainstream political parties and elders from tribal areas. He further said that mere establishing of contact with militants was not enough, as there were lot many other issues intertwined with the issue and it was beyond the capacity of a bunch of bureaucrats to handle it.
Expressing his dissatisfaction over the current peace process Sherpao said that so far no major breakthrough was achieved, and even the peace committees had failed to remove the mistrust between the two sides. He further said that the peace committees were moving at snail’s pace and in its past meeting under the chair of Federal Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan both the sides had proposed constitution of another sub-committee to look into the complaints of both the sides against each other, which according to him, would further slow down the peace parleys.
When asked how the peace through negotiations could be achieved, Sherpao said that government should actively engage the real stakeholders from KP and FATA, who have strong influence on the militants groups, to make the process meaningful.
To a question Sherpao suggested that Prime Minister Sharif should take lead in the peace parleys with militants by activating the office of governor KP for engaging the elders and influential politicians from the restive tribal areas in peace initiative.
Sherpao said that the direct interaction of Prime Minister Sharif with tribal elders and the mainstream politicians would give them a sense of ownership of the issue and help a lot in bringing normalcy.
To another question he said that this initiative of Prime Minister Sharif could run parallel with the peace initiative launched by the government through peace committees and would supplement each other’s efforts.
When asked about the newly appointed non-Pashtun Governor KP by Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Sherpao said that although Sardar Methab Khan Abbassi is a non-Pashtun but he knew the issue well and being a seasoned politician he could handle the situation well.
He further said that Abbassi’s recent interaction with tribal elders and listing rehabilitation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) on his priority showed that he really meant business and wanted to resolve the problems facing the terrorism infested tribal areas.
When asked about the Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s proposal to utilise the forum of Grand Tribal Jirga for negotiations with militants Sherpao said that it this juncture when the direct contact with militants had already been established the proposal of Maulana would be of no use and instead of that the government should utilise the influence of people who really mattered in the issue through the existing modes and means already put in practice.