Pakistani Taliban hint at continuing peace talks

Maulana Samiul Haq, chief of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan's (TTP) three-member peace talks committee, Wednesday contacted the TTP 'shura' (assembly) to convey some requests on behalf of the committee.

Samiul met with the TTP shura Wednesday and conveyed some of the committee's requests, the Dawn reported citing a source.

Maulana Yousuf Shah, another member of the committee, told the newspaper that the Taliban have hinted at continuing with the peace negotiations and further expressed the hope that they would respond positively to the requests.

He also said that the public would be apprised of the TTP's decision.

Shah added that it was imperative that the government and the TTP entered into a ceasefire to make the peace talks successful.

The TTP earlier rejected the Nawaz Sharif government's call for an unconditional ceasefire.

"It is the government which has waged a war against us and it is for the government to end it now. Let the government hold fire and we shall follow suit," Dawn quoted TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid as saying.