Peace talks with Taliban: US requires Pakistan's participation, says Iftikhar

Mian Iftikhar Hussain Information Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has warned the US that Obama administration could not achieve the desired results in peace talk with Taliban without the participation of Pakistan. He was talking at the joint celebration by US and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments on their success in revival of the conflict- and flood-affected Malakand Division of the province.
The minister said that US must recognise the sacrifices made by the people of KPK to secure the US future from international terrorism. "The U. Government is committed to working with the government and the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to help the region recover," said Andrew Sisson, Director of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Mission to Pakistan.
Over the past few years, the US Government had provided more than 450 million in direct humanitarian assistance to those affected by conflict and natural disaster through a variety of projects providing food, water, shelter, and other basic necessities of life. The US government also provided cash payments to needy families, set up tent schools for the children of internally displaced families, and funded one-year's university education for more than 7,000 students. More than 14,000 affected families received funds to reconstruct their homes.
The US government also provided extensive support to help revive the Malakand Division's economy, including reconstructing 261 hotels and fisheries, schools, health clinics, water supply systems, and government buildings. The United States also provided support for reviving the region's tourism industry, one of its key industries. Additionally, more than 100,000 farmers and micro-entrepreneurs received seeds, livestock, tools, training, and other assistance.
Representatives from the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, community representatives, media, and beneficiaries of US-supported activities also joined the celebration in Islamabad. The celebration, which took place at the local hotel, included stalls where partners and beneficiaries displayed the positive impact of various projects.