Taliban warn of revenge attacks, rule out talks with govt

With hardline commander Mullah Fazlullah at its helm, the Pakistani Taliban has vowed to launch a wave of revenge attacks and ruled out talks with the government.

Security agencies have warned government officials of a severe backlash from the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after former leader Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike on Friday.

The backlash may include targeting security and government installations in Punjab province, the central leadership of the ruling PML-N and the family of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The TTP named Fazlullah, the former Taliban commander from Swat Valley, as its new chief yesterday. Media reports today said Fazlullah, known as "Mullah Radio", has refused to hold any talks with the government.

TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid was quoted by The News daily as saying the group's Shura or council had unanimously decided that no peace talks will be held with the government.

He claimed the Taliban made several attempts in the past to hold meaningful talks with the government but they were "deceived".

"We won't allow the rulers again to deceive us in the name of peace talks. There is no benefit of fruitless talks with the government. It's a puppet government of the US and has killed our amir (chief)," he said.

Taliban elements believe the government had a role in the killing of Mehsud by a CIA-operated drone and that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan's criticism of the drone attack was meant to deceive the militants and the people.

Khan ruled out any Pakistani involvement in the strike that killed Mehsud, but the TTP leadership alleges that intelligence about his presence in a secret meeting in North Waziristan was provided to the US by Pakistani authorities.

Quoting sources in security agencies, The News reported yesterday that the TTP leadership had decided to avenge Mehsud's killing by shifting the focus of their terrorist activities to urban and central Punjab.