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The Pakistani Taliban have announced a month-long ceasefire aimed at reviving stalled peace
talks with government. Pakistan's government welcomed the announcement
as a "positive development", and said it was prepared to resume talks.
The talks broke down last month, after Taliban-linked militants said they had killed 23 soldiers
they were holding. This triggered air strikes by the Pakistani
military against suspected militant hideouts in the north-west.
Taliban spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said the Taliban had decided on a ceasefire "because
of a positive response from the government, an appeal from the religious scholars and
for the better future of Pakistan". He requested the Pakistani government to fulfil
the group's demands, which include an end to US drone strikes and the introduction of
sharia law. Irfan Siddiqui, an adviser to the Pakistani
prime minister, said that the ceasefire would be a "positive development".
"After all 17 days of talks, this is the first big breakthrough that we are seeing," he said.
Interior ministry official Sami ul Haq told local media that he had spoken to the head
of the Taliban's negotiating committee following the announcement.
The officials agreed to arrange a meeting between the two sides "within a day or two".
Increasing attacks The Taliban said last month that they were
close to deciding on a ceasefire, before negotiations stalled.
The government's decision to hold peace talks has been criticised by some Pakistani opposition
parties because militant attacks have continued. The Taliban have recently stepped up attacks
against targets in Pakistan and Afghanistan, ahead of an anticipated reduction in the number
of US troops in the region in 2014. Hundreds have died in Pakistan in a series
of bomb and gun attacks in recent months. The Pakistani Taliban, also knows as the Tehrik-i-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP), are based mainly in the north-west, but have staged attacks across the country.