'Pak military operation in N Waziristan hampering peace talks'

Pakistan military's operation in North Waziristan tribal region has adversely affected the peace talks process, Taliban's chief negotiator Maulana Sameeul Haq said as security forces intensified action against the insurgents.
"Operation is operation whether it is formal or informal," Haq said.
"Even after carrying out the operation, there will be no other option in the end but to depend on dialogue," he asserted.
"We are neither representative of the Taliban nor the government but with missionary zeal are playing the role of mediators and we remained successful in bringing the militants on table talks and also succeeded in the extending the ceasefire but the government didn't take any advantage of it," he maintained.

He said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is very serious about talks with the militants however, he was under extreme pressure by certain internal and external forces which were creating hurdles in the smooth conduct of peace negotiations.
Coordinator Taliban Peace Committee Maulana Syed Yusuf Shah has said that those elements that were against the peace talks and supporters of the military operations wanted unrest in the country.
He said peace talks were aimed to bring peace in the country but "we had an impression that if the peace process was not restored, the country would again plunge into terror activities".

Replying to a query, Maulana, without naming anyone, said that head of a religious party was opposing the peace talks and wanted to create atmosphere of unrest and uncertainty in the country.