Khan Marjan, deputy chief of the recently formed 48-member Area Representative and Development Council (ARDC), which oversees affairs of 12 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa districts including the former tribal areas, has called for negotiations to resume with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and Hafiz Gul Bahadur's group.
In an interview reportedly broadcast two days ago, Marjan claimed that Pakistan went 90 days without a militant attack during earlier talks held under former army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, according to sources. He urged senior authorities to allow a delegation to travel to Afghanistan for talks.
His position runs counter to the federal government's criticism of past negotiations, which officials have linked to the resurgence of militancy. The call also comes after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi ruled out talks with anti-state elements.
Marjan's claim about the 90-day lull and other details about the council could not be independently verified, and the government has not yet responded to his remarks.