国际英语新闻:Pakistan hails Taliban's dialogue committee

ISLAMABAD, Feb. 2 (Xinhua) -- The Pakistani government on Sunday welcomed the Taliban decision to form a committee for peace dialogue.

The Taliban have formed a five-member committee of senior religious and political leaders to start negotiations with the government to end bloodshed in the country.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan described the establishment of the Taliban negotiating team as a positive development.

"It is a matter of great satisfaction that both sides have announced their negotiating teams after years which reflects that both sides want to make peace through dialogue," the minister said in a statement.

The Taliban committee is scheduled to meet in Islamabad on Monday to chalk out policy for talks with the government, said Yousaf Shah, a leader of the Jamiat ulema-e-Islam (JUI-S) party.

Chief of the JUI-S Maulana Sami-ul-Haq is member of the Taliban committee.

Nisar said the government would decide its way forward after having consulted with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He also called on religious scholars from all schools of thought to get united and guide the government at this critical stage.

"This is a very complex process and the political leadership as well as religious leaders have to play their role to make the peace process successful."

Irfan Siddiqui, special assistant to the prime minister on national affairs and coordinator of the peace dialogue committee, said the entire nation wants beginning of the dialogue as early as possible.

"We are waiting for a green signal from the Taliban's committee so that serious talks for peace are started," he said.