For the second time, two nominees of the Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) travelled to Miranshah in North Waziristan on Thursday to meet the top leadership of the Taliban.
News reports said that the nominees Maulana Yousuf Shah and Professor Ibrahim Khan went by helicopter. They are likely to meet with the Taliban shura, its decision making body and discuss details of a future meeting with the new government committee.
Mr. Rustom Shah Mohmand, who has found a place in the new government committee for continuing the talks into a decisive phase, said that broader issues would be discussed with the TTP leadership and also details of where and when the government committee can meet the TTP. Contentious issues identified in earlier meetings can also come up at this meeting.
Reports said the government had appointed a new committee with three bureaucrats for the next phase of talks. Apart from Mr. Mohmand, who is former ambassador to Afghanistan, the committee comprises Habibullah Khan Khattak, Federal Secretary for Ports and Shipping, Arbab Muhammad Arif, Additional Chief Secretary of the Federally Administered Tribal Aras (FATA) and Fawad Hassan Fawad, Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister's office.
