'US-Taliban talks won't be result-oriented without Pak-Afghanistan involvement'

Islamabad, Jan 17 (ANI): Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain has said the peace talks between the United States and the Afghan Taliban will not be result-oriented without the involvement of Islamabad and Kabul.

Pakistan and Afghanistan would require concerted efforts to be made to evolve a common peace strategy for lasting peace in the region, The News quoted him, as saying.

He urged the three stake-holders of the Afghan imbroglio to constitute a joint high-powered dialogue committee to hold effective and consequential talks with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The minister said the peace process between the Afghan Taliban and the US would hardly be result-oriented because the dialogue process excluding the Pak-Afghan governments would be a futile exercise.

Although he said the Awami National Party-led government in the province was ready to initiate peace talks with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), he pointed out there must be a mechanism for the dialogue because the ANP is committed to non-violent ways preached by the party's founding fathers.

The ANP minister also said the superior judges should not come up with verdicts against the wishes of the public as the people had rendered many sacrifices for the independence of the judiciary. (ANI)