Taliban quits peace talks with Pak Government

Islamabad, May 4 : The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has announced that it is withdrawing from the peace talks with the Pakistan Government, saying negotiations cannot take place as long as security forces don't vacate the country's remote tribal areas.

The peace dialogue between the TTP and the Government was being carried out through Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, and after a breakdown in the negotiations, the TTP announced an end to the peace talks, The Nation reported. TTP commander Baitullah Mehsud accused the Government of insincerity, and termed the talks an eyewash. Meanwhile, Afghanistan's defence ministry has said that Pakistan should stop 'terrorists' from using its soil to attack Afghanistan.

Kabul said that Islamabad has been trying to reach a peace deal with a Taliban commander on its side of the frontier.

The ministry said it was concerned any such deal would not result in a cessation of violence in Afghanistan by militants said to be based in Pakistan and to cross the border to attack.

ANI