Nawaz Sharif in favour of testing dialogue option with Taliban

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the option of holding dialogue with Taliban to resolve issues at hand could prove to be the best strategy and hence should not be ruled out sans testing.

Sharif said that following the death of Pakistani Taliban Chief Hakimullah Mehsud in a drone attack, the dialogue process had come to a standstill, adding that such attacks must not be carried out on Pakistan's soil as it breached the country's sovereignty.

The Pakistan Prime Minister reiterated that the Pakistan government will establish contacts with the group again in order to settle the issue through effective dialogue, Dawn reported.

Sharif said that plans were on to rope in other political leaders to initiate talks with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), adding that the national leaders are jointly responsible for taking forward talks.

The Pakistan Prime Minister said that political leaders, including Imran Khan, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maulana Samiul Haq and Syed Munawar Hassan will be approached to lend their support in the dialogue process.