PESHAWAR- The outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, an umbrella group of various militant factions, agreed to extend its ceasefire period that expired on April 10.
A private TV channel reported that the decision was taken by the Taliban’s consultative body (Shura) at a meeting in North Waziristan today. Taliban factions have given consent to extend the ceasefire. A formal announcement in this regard will be made by the group’s spokesman Shahidullah Shahid.
Taliban’s shura headed by its Deputy Ameer Shiekh Khalid Haqqani held its meeting to review the government’s response on their demand for the release of non-combatants. According to reports, various factions expressed their reservations about government’s failure to set up a peace zone in the tribal region. Earlier, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali refuted reports that there was any deadlock in talks with the Taliban. He said that a third round of comprehensive talks between the government and the Taliban negotiators would kick off in a couple of days.