ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif chaired a meeting of the government's committee formed to hold talks with negotiators representing the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), during which the committee expressed its inability to carry forward peace talks, DawnNews reported.
The committee said the talks could not progress without any solid steps and also asked the Taliban to unconditionally cease all violent activities without any delay.
The meeting was also attended by Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Federal Information Minister Pervez Rasheed.
According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister House, the government committee briefed Nawaz Sharif and told him that during the 13-day process of talks several acts of violence took place killing a number of people.
The committee further said that the talks were progressing satisfactorily until the Taliban-claimed blast was carried out in Karachi on Feb 13. The blast had targeted a police bus near Razzaqabad.
The committee had also sought an explanation from the outlawed militant organisation but before one could be given the Mohmand incident took place.
Following these developments, the committee members had unanimously decided that holding the scheduled talks with the Taliban committee was a meaningless effort.
The committee members also said that they had been patient but the reaction from other side was discouraging with the continuance of violent activities.
The situation has completely changed after the Mohmand incident and the committee is unable to continue peace talks until the Taliban cease all violent activities, the members added.
Premier Sharif appreciated the performance of the committee and instructed the members to continue consultations among themselves.