PESHAWAR: The outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has welcomed the All Parties Conference’s (APC) decision of holding peace talks with the terrorists.

TTP spokesman Shahidaullah Shahid said that a suitable reply to this offer will be given after a meeting of the Majlis-e-Shura.

He said that the TTP welcomes the APC initiative, however, “it will not overshadow our goals”.

In August, Information Minister Pervez Rashid had told Dawn that the government was in secret talks with the Taliban.

“We have to rid the country of the menace of terrorism for which all options would be utilised,” Rashid was quoted as saying.

Shahidaullah Shahid had responded to that statement by Rashid with a denial of any such talks being held.

“I categorically deny the holding of peace talks on any level between the Taliban and Pakistani government,” Shahid said.

The reports of peace talks emerged almost two weeks after Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif made an offer to the extremists in his first televised address to the nation since taking office after winning elections in May.