ISLAMABAD  - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned a high-level meeting today (Tuesday) in Islamabad to discuss the overall security situation in the country, with a specific reference to the government’s dialogue initiative with militants.
Sources said that provinces input on National Internal Security Policy would also be sought in the meeting.
Confirming the meeting on Tuesday, sources in Prime Minister’s Office said that all the four chief ministers, Chief of Army Staff, Federal Interior Minister, Defence Minister and heads of intelligence agencies would attend the meeting to discuss matters relating to national security.
Sources in the government attributing great significance to the Tuesday meeting wherein besides the overall law and order situation, with specific reference to the Karachi situation, the ongoing dialogue process with TTP and the implications associated with this very complex issue would be discussed.
Sources said that the issue of TTP prisoners would be taken up with the Army while the possibility of providing some ‘safe area’ in North or South Waziristan for holding direct talks with TTP leadership would also figure in the meeting.
Sources in the TTP nominated panel informed that the proposal of providing some buffer zone free from armed forces control in North Waziristan was floated by the TTP Shura for holding of direct talks with government.
Sources aware of the developments taking place on this front informed The Nation that mistrust on both sides was the main hurdle as both sides wanted security guarantee to their panelists in the peace talks and that was the reason both sides had proposed different venues they consider secure for their negotiators.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, the umbrella organisation of militants, has proposed the meeting to be held somewhere near Wana in the South Waziristan tribal region or the mountainous region bordering South and North Waziristan. The Pakistani government, on the other hand, has recommended the point of rendezvous to be on the peripheries of South Waziristan, somewhere around FR Bannu.