Govt Asks Taliban: Announce ceasefire before talks

Government says nation had rejected their campaign of terror.

ISLAMABAD: The government urged on Wednesday the Taliban to announce a 30-day ceasefire as a precursor to peace talks which the militants offered earlier this month, adding the nation had rejected their campaign of terror.

“First there should be ceasefire and peace talks can be held only after it,” Interior Minister Rehman Malik told reporters in Islamabad on Wednesday.

“The nation has rejected the system of Taliban, this is voice of majority, come forward, announce a one-month ceasefire and then hold negotiations,” Malik said.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14^th, 2013.