PESHAWAR: A senior TTP leader has criticised the government and said it had taken no serious initiative so far for holding talks with his group.

Omar Khalid Khurasani is the chief of TTP’s Mohmand Agency chapter.

In a message uploaded on social media networks on Friday, Khurasani said: “We want to clarify that we are not begging for peace talks, but we took the initiative of offering talks for the wellbeing of the countrymen and for saving Pakistan from more losses.”

“This does not mean that we are weak. We are still organised and strong. We (Taliban) are still loyal to our chief Hakeemullah Mehsud,” the message said.

He said that since the killing of a major general in Upper Dir and the attack on a church in Peshawar the media had been criticising Taliban and questioning their seriousness about negotiations although no ceasefire had yet been declared. Because no peace agreement had been finalised TTP’s attacks were continuing, he added.

Khurasani claimed that three members of TTP who had been taken into custody about three months ago had been killed in Karachi this week.

He expressed doubts about chances of success of any peace talks with the government and said Taliban wanted changes in the constitution while they were being told that talks could be held within the parameters of the constitution.

“We will not budge an inch from our demand for enforcement of Islamic Shariah in the country,” he said and warned that if any Taliban commander compromised on this issue the TTP would never support him.