Pak House Panel To Monitor Talks With TTP

A committee of Pakistan’s parliament will monitor the so-called peace talks with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The Parliamentary Committee on National Security has formally approved the process of negotiations and the formation of a ‘Parliamentary Oversight Committee, said a statement from the PM’s office. The demand for a parliamentary panel to monitor the talks was made by PPP chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Negotiations with the TTP began in October last year, on the demand of the Afghan Taliban, but soon broke down. The process was secretly revived in April after the TTP mounted a series of attacks on security forces and eventually a ceasefire was clinched. Currently, a three-month truce is being observed. Notwithstanding the ceasefire, the government’s writ in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains under a cloud due to rebel activities. Security personnel/assets/installations in the Waziristan districts along the Durand Line continue to be targeted by militants. Attacks on security forces and military raids on militant hideouts continue. Last month, at least four Army men were killed by armed rebels in North Waziristan. A UN-funded polio vaccination team health worker and two accompanying policemen were shot dead by gunmen near the Afghan border. Earlier, armed rebels had killed three security personnel deputed with the polio vaccination team in another area.