ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman has offered to act as an intermediary if the government ‘shows sincerity’ in holding peace talks with Taliban.

Speaking during the in-camera joint sitting of both houses of parliament on Thursday, he opposed the use of force in tribal areas and the NWFP, calling for an immediate end to military operation.

His statement followed a fresh offer of the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan to lay down arms and hold unconditional talks with the government if the army agreed to cease fire.

The parliament began a four-day general debate on the “war against terror” after briefings by military and civilian authorities and question-answer sessions.

It was another lacklustre day and a majority of lawmakers were absent. Most of the participants left one by one, leaving only 30 to 35 members when the speaker adjourned the session till Friday morning before the completion of the speeches of the leaders of all the parliamentary groups.

Maulana Fazl, who had said he could give a ‘real briefing’ if allowed by the speaker to open his heart to the house, was given the maximum time of 90 minutes, equalled only by Leader of the House in Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, sources said.

A majority of speakers from the Pakistan Muslim League-N, JUI-F, PML-Q and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas opposed use of force to eliminate militancy and called for dialogue.

They called for a change in the policy ‘given by an individual to prolong his rule while ignoring national interest and people’s aspirations’.

The sources said the government had begun behind-the-scenes moves to get a resolution passed unanimously at the end of the parliamentary sitting and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had held a meeting with the JUI-F chief on Wednesday night.

Starting the debate, the Maulana said: “We have seen that the policy of crushing insurgency with might has failed ever since it was launched following 9/11. It is high time for the new government to shun this policy.”

He said: “If America and Afghan President Hamid Karzai can enter into a dialogue with Afghan Taliban through the Saudi government’s good offices, why can’t we do the same with our people.”

He rejected the details provided by the government through pictures and slides, saying that the people knew more than what had been shown to parliamentarians over the past four days.

“You have seen the results of using force and it is time to witness the power of dialogue,” he said. He supported efforts aimed at persuading militants to end fighting and hold talks.

The JUI-F chief was applauded by the treasury members and Prime Minister Gilani went to his seat and embraced him after the speech.

Senator Rabbani refuted the allegation that the government was pursuing the policy of former president Pervez Musharraf. He said the Pakistan People’s Party government was following its own “direction and vision”.

He said he had noted 10 points on which almost all lawmakers agreed and they could become the “basis of a security strategy”.

PML-Q’s Kamil Ali Agha, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, proposed the formation of a committee having equal representation from the treasury and the opposition to review the policy and propose a consensus resolution that should be binding on the government.

He complained that Maulana Fazl had been allowed to use the time slot allotted to him.

He said people had voted the PPP into power to change the previous government’s policies but it had failed to revise the policy on the war on terror and to deliver on any national issue, including the economy.

PML-N’s Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, criticised the government for giving what he termed a half-cooked briefing and accused it of concealing facts from parliament.

He said Gen (retd) Musharraf should be summoned to the session to reply to the lawmakers’ queries, especially about “agreements” he had reached with the United States regarding the war on terror.

Fata group’s parliamentary leader Munir Orakzai opposed force against militants and called for dialogue with those who were resisting army operation.

Ahsan Iqbal of the PML-N also spoke.

A handout issued by the secretariat of the National Assembly speaker said: “In-camera joint sitting of parliament continued today with National Assembly Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza in the chair. Leaders of parliamentary parties participated in discussion on law and order and security in the country. The session continued for four hours. The sitting was adjourned by the speaker till 10am on Friday.”