Government serious in holding talks with Taliban: Nawaz Sharif

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said his government is serious in talks with the Taliban to prevent more bloodshed.

Sharif was speaking to reporters Thursday in Peshawar city, a day after Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud said that the "government is not serious in talks and has not taken any practical step for the peace talks", Xinhua reported.

Pakistan's parliamentary parties last month called upon the government to hold peace talks with the Taliban to find out political solution to the problem of violent extremism.

Sharif said his government would pursue the dialogue option as it would be a best way to stop more killings of the people.

"We are sincere in peace talks and my government will prefer the option of dialogue," Sharif said after showing sympathies with the bereaved families of those killed in recent series of deadly bomb attacks in Peshawar.