PESHAWAR, Feb 5: The Awami National Party, which has been bearing the brunt of militancy, wants the federal government to take Taliban’s talks offer seriously for the sake of much-needed peace in the country. “It was our initiative to hold talks with Taliban. Our party has been urging for dialogue with Taliban to pave the way for peaceful general election,” Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told Dawn.

The ANP, a junior coalition partner at the centre with Pakistan People’s Party, say that the federal government shouldn’t miss this opportunity of dialogue with Taliban.

“We fully support and ask the government to indulge in talks with Taliban,” Mr Hussain said and added that Pakistan army, people and government were unanimous that peace was the only way to development and prosperity.

The PPP will decide whether to go for talks with Taliban or not, he said and showed readiness of the ANP to represent the government. He said that Taliban had already nominated their negotiating team for the proposed talk, which showed their seriousness.

The information minister said that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) condition to have the PML-N, JUI-F and Jamaat-i-Islami leaders as guarantors of talks between them and the government, also showed their confidence in political leaders.

He said that that they would announce schedule for all parties conference within two days where all the leaders would ponder over ways and means to improve law and order and provide protection to people from violence.

The ANP has adopted a holistic approach to tackling terrorism besides expressing its willingness to forgive the killing of over 700 of its workers and leaders for its sole motive to establish harmony in the society.

The minister said that they had conveyed their desire for talks with Taliban after the assassination of Bashir Ahmed Bilour and the campaign to hold the APC was in progress to gather political leaders on a one-point agenda of peace and subsequent negotiations with Taliban.

“Though majority of acts of terror took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we should have a consensus approach towards resolution of unending spate of militancy,” he said. Applauding the TTP’s offer, he said it was a welcome sign and could be the first concrete step towards attainment of peace in the country.

“We are sure that peace would ultimately prevail as the endless violence has badly harmed people, and all political parties are unanimous on a point that peace should stay on the land,” he said, adding that they would be able to win the support of all of the parties.