File photo of Taliban members. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Senior Pakistani Taliban commanders opened discussions Thursday on how to respond to an invitation from the government on talks to end an insurgency that has killed thousands of people.
Leaders in the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP) are expected to continue consultations for several days at an undisclosed location in the semi-autonomous northwest along the Afghan border.
TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud, who was previously reportedly against holding talks with the authorities, is chairing the consultations, two Taliban commanders told AFP.
"We are discussing the overall situation and the government's offer. We will soon inform the media about our decisions," TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told AFP.
Earlier this week, he welcomed the offer of peace talks.
"We have taken the government's offer seriously and commanders are discussing a future plan for proposed peace talks," one senior Taliban commander told AFP from an undisclosed location.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who took office after winning elections in May, has called for peace talks and on Monday won backing for his policy from Pakistan's main political parties.
"The shura (decision-making council) is discussing the overall situation. It's good that all Pakistan leaders have agreed to initiate peace talks," another TTP commander told AFP.
He called on the military to stop all operations against Taliban fighters in the northwest and called for a halt to US drone strikes, which target Islamist militants on the Afghan border.
"We also want all our prisoners released and compensation for all those killed in military operations," he said.
A third TTP commander said the Taliban would finalise the names of a negotiations committee and a list of TTP prisoners.
"We hope that the shura will take a decision on all matters in the next five or six days," he said.
"We want guarantees from the government side. In the past, governments have not fulfilled their promises and we do not want to repeat that again," he added.
Previous peace deals with Taliban have quickly broken down and been sharply criticised for allowing the extremists space to regroup before launching a new wave of attacks.
Pakistan says more than 40,000 people have been killed as a result of bomb and suicide attacks carried out by Taliban and al Qaeda-led militants who oppose Islamabad's US alliance.
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Giving a bunch of deluded miltants any sort of Political recognition is very harmful. Tomorrow TTP would become an active political party. You negotiate with groups with some sort of civics and ethics, not with groups which inhumanely kills everyone and mostly innocent people. They are demanding for compensation and release of their prisoners funny because it should be the other way around. They deserve a properly imposed war on them, to be hanged publicly NOT negotiations or recognition, they won't go away like that.
Taliban always talk peace and negotiations with a hand on the trigger !!!
previously peace talks with taliban were never fruitful, this time it,s going to be any different.peace talks will be actually piece talks.let us carpet bomb these rogues who killed our children and deprived them of schools.no mercy for the killers.
I foresee a Nawaz-Behtullah Peace pact .
Taliban will never agree to surrender their arms and ammunition and Pak govt. will continue to use them as their streategic assets . Hence these talk is just a cover to get rid of from the fury of Drone attack and nothing else .
Kill them all. They beheaded our jawans. Sorry, that cannot be pardoned.
These peace talks are initiated by Pakistan govt because it has lost the battle against terrorism. Sorry to say but neither we have the courage or power to fight these monsters. Result of every encounter with the Talibans shows our poor performance. Let's surrender and impose the TALIBAN LAW in Pakistan!
If thisis the way the Taliban will come to peace talks as the photograph indicates- with rocket propelled grenades - not even God can help Pakistan.
The only good Taliban is a dead Taliban.
Before the keyboard warriors start jumping up and down, be realistic. if we can defeat them(though it hasn't happened in 11 years) fine..keep on fighting them,otherwise negotiate and break this never ending cycle.
They are not interested in Peace but for sure they need some time to reorganize.
Guns in hands, Peace talk with Mouth. Am i that crazy or is it the world? and who will be responsible if the just decide to suicide bomb between those talk tables?
I am not sure what is there to talk? or what should we talk with them? Please don't bomb our masjids, our cities, our public or army places? can't believe how a nuclear country has surrender to a bunch of maniacs.
TTP will never talk sincerely with government. These peace talks will fail soon. Atlast government have to use full power.
US please, drones please!