ISLAMABAD: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Mian Raza Rabbani on Monday stressed the need for making talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as part of a national debate comprising parliament, experts, military commanders who fought against them and civil society.
“Two tribal jirgas sent for negotiations with the TTP cannot be a replacement for the collective wisdom of parliament,” he pointed out in a statement issued here on Monday.
Rabbani emphasized that peace talks and subsequent agreement with the TTP will have far-reaching consequences on the constitutional boundaries of the federation within, on the creation of a parallel justice system, the rule of law and the constitution.
The PPP senator declared that the parliament has always risen beyond party lines from evolving terms of engagement with the US or operations against terrorists in Swat, Khyber and Waziristan.
Rabbani was of the view that Pakistani people have the right to decide their future, adding that let a consensus decision be arrived at through a debate in which the parliament leads.
A day earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari formed a three-member committee to liaise with political parties on the recent developments related to talks with Afghan Taliban and the banned outfit TTP.
The three-member committee comprises PPP’s senior leaders Sherry Rehman, Farhatullah Babar and Qamar Zaman Kaira, and will take other political parties on board over the matter.
The development came after a series of meetings were held between representatives of Pakistan and the outlawed TTP in Kabul to broker a peace deal. The Afghan Taliban are acting as a mediator.
A tribal jirga, comprising elders, politicians and others from erstwhile tribal areas, also visited Afghanistan and met the TTP leaders. The flurry of meetings led to the banned outfit announcing an indefinite ceasefire.
