MIRAMSHAH: The shura of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) met at an unspecified place in North Waziristan on Monday to decide its future line of action on peace talks with the government and the ceasefire which ended on April 10.

However, sources said, the meeting could not reach consensus over the ceasefire and continuation of talks.

They said Qari Shakeel, Azam Tariq, Maulvi Bashir, Maulvi Zakir and Khalid Haqqani were prominent among those attended the meeting. Up to 20 people took part in the shura meeting.

The sources said that the issues of ceasefire extension and exchange of non-combatant prisoners topped the agenda of the meeting. A deadly fighting between two factions of the Taliban – Sheryar Mehsud group and Khan Said alias Sajna group – also came under discussion.

Though the TTP has repeatedly denied that an internal strife had caused division within the ranks of the Taliban, the sources attributed the delay over a decision on the ceasefire to the continued fighting between the two groups of Mehsud Taliban in South Waziristan.

They said the TTP leadership was worried over the infighting and had sent influential men to Shawal area, the epicentre of the tussle which has left scores dead.

However, North Waziristan TTP emir Hafiz Gul Bahadar ruled out any differences within the Taliban ranks.

He said in a statement on Monday that such reports were based on rumours and part of propaganda [against the Taliban].

He said peace agreement between the Taliban and the government in North Waziristan was intact and nobody would be allowed to sabotage it.

“Our fighters are abiding by the accord and no bloodshed will be allowed in the region.”

Some elements were hatching conspiracies to create misunderstanding among the Taliban but their design would be frustrated, he said.