Islamabad:
Pakistani government and Taliban negotiators will meet tomorrow in an attempt to move forward with the peace dialogue aimed at ending a decade-long cycle of violence that has killed thousands.
The talks will go ahead despite militant attacks in the country in the last two days and the Taliban and the government committee will meet tomorrow to take forward the peace process, state-run Radio Pakistan reported.
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan's chief negotiator Maulana Samiul Haq claimed that all its groups had agreed for talks.
He, however, said "some elements" wanted to derail the peace process through terror acts.
Any effort to derail the peace process would not succeed, he said, without explaining who the "elements" were.
Haq expressed hope that a ceasefire agreement would soon take place between the two sides.
Another Taliban committee member professor Mohammad Ibrahim expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far.
He said their top most priority is to bring about a ceasefire as early as possible.
Ibrahim, talking to the media, said Taliban committee has proposed a meeting with Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif and ISI Director General Lt Gen Zahirul Islam.
He said their committee has offered the government to hold a meeting with the Taliban leadership any time to discuss the relevant issues.
Rustam Shah Mohmand, a member of government dialogue committee? said talks with the banned Taliban will be held only under the ambit of the Constitution.
He told reporters that the journey of the dialogue was difficult and there are a number of hurdles in its way.
Shah warned that some anti-Taliban elements would try to sabotage the dialogue process.
He said the two committees have held initial discussions for peace and hoped that a meeting with the Taliban leadership will be scheduled soon to listen to their view point and move forward.
There is intense scepticism about the initiative achieving a lasting solution to the insurgency led by the TTP, which has been blamed for hundreds of bombings and suicide attacks.
Earlier in the day, at least 9 people, including children, were killed when armed militants attacked the house of an anti-Taliban peace committee member in Badabiar village of Peshawar district.
Twelve people were killed yesterday when three grenades were lobbed into a cinema hall in Peshawar.
Meanwhile, assuring the Senate that talks with the TTP will be held within the ambit of the Constitution, the government said those who want amendments in the Constitution should get elected and make the changes after getting a two-thirds majority in parliament.
Speaking in the Senate on a motion moved to discuss the law and order situation, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's parliamentary leader Mushahidullah Khan said the Taliban is engaging with the government in dialogue which clearly means they recognise the country and the Constitution.
On Lal Masjid cleric Maulana Abdul Aziz's demand for implementation of Sharia law to be on the agenda for talks with the Taliban, he said, "Any group can neither impose Sharia nor announce jihad."
"Anyone who wants to amend the constitution should first enter into electoral politics, get two-thirds majority, and change the constitution. We will accept such amendments (to the Constitution) only," he was quoted by the Express Tribune as saying.
Khan criticised the opposition parties in his speech and accused them of backing out of the peace process after they gave the go-ahead to hold talks.