Will initiate peace talks with Taliban: Fazl

BANNU: JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl ur Rehman said on Saturday that all political parties are willing to hold peace talks with the Taliban but he will be the first to initiate the dialogue process with them as he had persuaded the Taliban and the relevant tribes for the purpose, Geo News reported.

Addressing Maulana Naseeb Ali Shah conference in Bannu, Fazl ur Rehman said he had always favored holding of peace talks with the Taliban and that the tribesmen also wanted the same. "Millions of people are forced to live as refugees in their own country today," he lamented.

The JUI-F chief said as an impact of the rulers' bad policies, the tribal people are forced to live in misery.

However, he believed, that the time is not too far-off when tribesmen would begin to live independently in their areas.