Sharif to take all parties into confidence on Taliban talks

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Saturday said he would take all parties into confidence about talks with the Taliban, Xinhua reported.

Sharif's statement came just hours after the opposition leader, Khurshid Shah, said the government had not shared anything about the dialogue with the armed militants.

The country's all major political and religious parties last month had called on the government to initiate talks with the Taliban for ending bloodshed.

The opposition leader said he has written to the prime minister, stating that the government has not taken any step to inform them about any development on the issue of talks with the Taliban.

Sharif, has directed that all political parties be taken into confidence with regard to the progress of dialogue with the Taliban, the prime minister's office said Saturday.

The representatives of different political parties should feel as part of the process, Sharif said in a meeting with Interior Minister Chowdhary Nisar Ali Khan.

The prime minister has asked Khan to contact the leaders of political parties and take them into confidence on the talks, sources said.

Official sources said Sharif is likely to speak in the parliament soon for taking the house into confidence on his recent visit to the US.