Taliban rule out talks with Pakistan government

Karachi: The Pakistan Taliban has ruled out the possibility of holding any peace talks with the Pakistan government, a media report said Friday. Shahidullah Shahid, spokesman of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), said they would not forgive the killers of Hakimullah Mehsud and would chase them even in the far-flung areas of Punjab and Balochistan, the Geo News quoted the spokesman as saying in a video message. Shahidullah Shahid said the TTP would continue its activities against security forces in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province as most of the action was being taken against them in this province. He, however, said common people would not be targeted. The spokesman added that Nawaz Sharif`s government was powerless and the way Sharif pleads to the US for halting drone attacks, even a common tribal man could do so.

Hakimullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone attack in North Waziristan tribal region Nov 1, just one day before a team of top Islamic scholars were to meet him to discuss the agenda and venue for the negotiations.