Pakistan: Talks between govt & Tehreek-e-Taliban continue, ceasefire declared till May 30

Amid the upsurge of attacks on the Pakistani security officials, a Pakistani delegation, led by the Peshawar Corps Commander Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, reached Afghanistan's national capital, Kabul and started negotiating with the banned terror group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Tuesday. Members of the group and official sources in Kabul confirmed to the state-owned US radio broadcaster Voice of America the presence of the Peshawar Corps Commander in a private hotel in Kabul. According to the Pakistani English daily, The Express Tribune, the negotiations were going on with TTP, mediated by the Haqqani Network. As per the latest development, TTP reportedly declared a ceasefire till May 30 this year.

Reportedly, General Faiz, who was instrumental in arranging an agreement between the US and the Taliban, was compelled by the present Pakistani government to negotiate with the banned terrorist organisation as nearly 120 Pak security officials lost their lives during an attack by TTP. Though Pakistan forces have never acknowledged the recent loss of their soldiers and officers, the state media organisations have been reporting the incident of casualties since the dramatic withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan last year.

Recent attack on Pakistani forces Taliban to formulate a peace pact 

As per The Express Tribune, officials privately sent messages to the Taliban that the "country would not tolerate cross border terrorist attacks anymore". Earlier, in a statement released by Pakistan's foreign office, it said that despite instructing the Taliban to take action against the terrorist groups, they were operating out of Afghanistan with impunity. Initially, it was reported that the Taliban had agreed to Pakistan's concerns and assured them to take action against the insurgent groups. However, as the attack on Pakistani forces increased in recent months, the "all-men" Taliban government was forced to formulate a peace pact between Pakistan and the TTP. 

Image: AP