ISLAMABAD: A member of the four-man government committee told Dawn on Wednesday that they were looking into Taliban’s latest announcement that no ceasefire was possible unless intelligence agencies stopped killing and dumping bodies of their fighters.

Rustam Shah Mohmand said that after the news emerged from North Waziristan, the government negotiators were consulting each other about a reply to the latest demand of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan.

But Mr Mohmand, a former ambassador who was included in the committee on the recommendation of the PTI-led Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, declined to make a definite statement and only said it was too early to say anything concrete at the moment.

Talking to a private TV channel earlier in the day, Rahimullah Yousufzai, another member of the government committee, did not rule out the possibility of revival of peace talks and said negotiators from the two sides were informally in touch with each other and trying to find some common grounds. But he admitted that after the killing of 23 FC personnel by the Taliban in Mohmand Agency, it was not possible for the government committee to go ahead with the peace dialogue.

Off the record, another member of the committee told Dawn that the TTP Shura had been categorically informed that the peace process would be taken forward only after militants stopped attacking security personnel and civilians. “The only option left with the TTP at the moment is unconditional ceasefire; the rest can be discussed afterwards. In Wednesday’s statements the TTP has dropped a hint for ceasefire, but they have to announce it in categorical terms.”

The member continued: “A formal response to the TTP conditions will be given once these are conveyed to us through its nominated three-member committee, led by JUI-S chief Maulana Samiul Haq. Currently, only the media reported a statement attributing to the TTP spokesperson.”

Meanwhile, talking to journalists, Information Minister and spokesman for the prime minister Pervez Rashid hit out at the TTP militants for massacring and decapitating Pakistani soldiers in their custody. He wondered whether Sharia recommended the same treatment for captives. “The TTP leaders who want enforcement of Sharia in the country must explain if prisoners should be dealt with in this way.”

The minister recalled that 90,000 Pakistani soldiers had been captured by India in 1971, but despite having different religions and the animosity at that time, they were dealt as per the Geneva Convention. “But look what the TTP is doing to prisoners. It needs explanation because this is not what our religion says,” he regretted.

In the same breath, the minister warned the TTP that nobody should be under an illusion over the capacity and capability of the armed forces.

He said the prime minister was doing his best to avoid bloodshed and achieve results through peaceful means.

In reply to a question about reported new demands of the TTP, he said the government had constituted a four-member committee for talks with the Taliban. “On the issue of talks with the Taliban, the government acts on the recommendations of the committee; the TTP should contact our committee.”

Referring to Tuesday’s meeting between the prime minister and committee members, Mr Rashid explained that at the moment the ball was in TTP’s court because the government had sought an unconditional ceasefire from the militants; until then there would be no talks with their peace negotiators.