`Military operation against Taliban will cause mass exodus`

Peshawar: A member of the Taliban-nominated negotiating committee on Saturday claimed any operation launched by the Pakistan government against militants could result in the death of thousands.

Jamaat-e-Islami leader Ibrahim Khan said an operation in the tribal areas will also lead to a "mass exodus". He said he had been contacted by the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leadership which still wants a result-oriented dialogue with the government, Geo News reported. The government suspended a fledgling peace process with the militants earlier this week after a Taliban faction executed 23 troops abducted in 2010. Military jets have bombed Taliban bases in the tribal belt over the past two days, killing over 40 militants. Khan said there was currently no contact between state negotiators and the Taliban-nominated committee. The TTP yesterday signalled it was still willing to hold talks if the government declares a ceasefire. "Our doors are open for talks... (but) the government needs to stop killing our comrades," TTP spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told reporters. "Since the government started the war against us, it should declare ceasefire before asking us to do so," he said.