Global Insider: Rumored Talks Between Pakistani Government, Taliban, Unlikely to Go Forward

Global Insider: Rumored Talks Between Pakistani Government, Taliban, Unlikely to Go Forward

In recent media interviews, representatives of both the Pakistani government and the Pakistani Taliban have signaled willingness to engage in peace talks with the other side. In an email interview, Sadika Hameed, a fellow at the Program on Crisis, Conflict and Cooperation at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, explained the prospects for the talks.

WPR: What are the factional interests—on the part of the national and provincial governments, the militants and others—in holding peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban?

Sadika Hameed: Many political parties campaigned in the elections held in May on the basis of talks with the Pakistani Taliban, formally known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). In fact, talks were prominent in the campaigns of Imran Khan’s PTI party and, to a lesser extent, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N. Religious parties like the Jamaat-e-Islaami and to a lesser extent the JUI are also pushing for talks. Much of the impetus for these talks is linked to anti-Americanism, which is widespread. While Pakistanis wish to see an end to terrorism, the public does not have the appetite for a war against the TTP. Proponents of talks claim that those who oppose negotiations must necessarily be pro-American, though this is obviously not the case.

Keep reading for free!

Get instant access to the rest of this article as well as three free articles per month. You'll also receive our free email newsletter to stay up to date on all our coverage:

Or, Subscribe now to get full access.

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:

A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having your own personal researcher and analyst for news and events around the globe. Subscribe now, and you’ll get:

  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of 15,000+ articles
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday
  • Weekly in-depth reports on important issues and countries
  • Daily links to must-read news, analysis, and opinion from top sources around the globe, curated by our keen-eyed team of editors
  • Your choice of weekly region-specific newsletters, delivered to your inbox.
  • Smartphone- and tablet-friendly website.
  • Completely ad-free reading.

And all of this is available to you when you subscribe today.

More World Politics Review