Islamabad: The Jamaat-e-Islami has rejected the Pakistani Taliban`s call to act as a guarantor for any talks between the banned militant group and the government, with a top leader questioning the administration`s stance on such issues.
"We are in favour of talks because issues cannot be resolved without negotiations, but the Jamaat-e-Islami cannot become a guarantor because we have nothing to do with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan and they did not contact us to seek our opinion," Jamaat deputy secretary general Farid Ahmed Piracha said.
"How can we become a guarantor (for the talks) when the government is not ready to implement even the resolutions of parliament," Piracha told the Dawn newspaper.
In a video message released yesterday, Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said his group would hold talks with the government if PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif, Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawar Hasan and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam head Maulana Fazlur Rehman acted as guarantors.
Ihsan also demanded that the government should release several top Taliban leaders ahead of any talks.
In a related development, the PML-N and Jamiat Ulema-e- Islam said it would be inappropriate for them to comment on the Taliban’s demands.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Mohammad Khan Sherani said though the party’s leadership is yet to discuss the Taliban’s demands, he was of the opinion that all such issues should be resolved by jirgas or tribal councils.
"Jirga elders know how to resolve such issues and how to implement decisions. Both the government and the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan should give a guarantee to a grand jirga to implement its decisions in their true spirit and then they should take part in the jirga," he said.
PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said it was not appropriate to comment on the basis of the Taliban video which lacked authenticity.
The PML-N wanted the government to fully implement resolutions on the war on terrorism passed by joint sessions of parliament.
PTI
