Pakistani Taliban withdraw peace talk offer
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — The Pakistani Taliban have withdrawn their offer of holding peace talks with the government.
Spokesman Ahsanullah Ahsan says in a video sent to reporters on Monday that the group “temporarily postponed” its offer because the government had not shown a serious effort to follow through with negotiations.
He called on Pakistanis to boycott the upcoming national election expected in May, saying Islamic law should be enforced instead.
He advised people to avoid rallies held by several major parties, including the Pakistan People’s Party that led the latest government.
At the end of last year, the Pakistani Taliban leadership said they were open to peace talks.
The government responded positively, but apparently little progress has been made.