Lahore: Pakistani Interior Minister Rehman Malik has claimed that Islamabad has rejected Pak Taliban chief Hakeemullah Mehsud’s offer for dialogue at least four times.
The Daily Times quoted Malik, as saying that there would be no talks with the Taliban until it agrees to fully abjure violence.
Malik added that the Taliban initiative was a good omen and he had contacted clerics to discuss the Taliban offer.
Through clerics, he has conveyed to the Taliban that dialogue could only be initiated after their complete surrender.
According to Malik, the Taliban made the offer for dialogue through a political figure of the NFWP and a former lawmaker from Dir.
He added that he would soon meet Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Munawwar Hasan to seek their opinion on the war on terror.
ANI
