PESHAWAR  - The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan on Friday rejected the Awami National Party (ANP) peace offer terming it an election agenda instead of a serious bid.
Talking to media from an undisclosed location on Friday, TTP spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said “This ANP-sponsored offer of talks is just the party’s election agenda.”
The Taliban spokesman dismissed the contents of the declaration as ‘old wine in a new bottle’. “The Taliban are still waiting for a serious and meaningful response to peace talks offer from the Pakistani government and the military,” said Ehsan, reading out what he said was a statement issued after a key meeting of the Taliban Shura (council).
“The non-participation of the Jamaat-i-Islami in the APC is also a clear indication that it was a failure,” he added.
Two weeks after the banned militant outfit had initially made a conditional offer for peace talks with the government, the country’s major political parties huddled together on Thursday at an ANP-led all parties conference, and announced they had all agreed on the need for peace through dialogue with the militants. “Attaining peace through dialogue should be the first priority,” said a joint declaration read out by ANP chief Asfandyr Wali Khan.