Pakistani Taliban ready for talks with new government

Welcoming the victory of anti Musharraf political parties in the February 18 elections, Pakistani Taliban militant commander Baitullah Mehsud has expressed willingness to go for peace talks.

Peshawar, Feb 24 : Welcoming the victory of anti Musharraf political parties in the February 18 elections, Pakistani Taliban militant commander Baitullah Mehsud has expressed willingness to go for peace talks.

Mehsud's pokesman Maulvi Omar on Sunday warned the victors of the elections not to pursue Musharraf's "war on terror".

"The Taliban movement welcomes the victory of anti-Musharraf political parties in the election and announces its willingness to enter into negotiations with them for bringing peace in the restive tribal area," the Dawn quoted Omar as reading out a statement issued by Mehsud.

"The Taliban are ready for negotiations with the political parties as long as they do not re-impose war on them. If they do so, then Taliban will continue their activities against them," Omar told reporters via telephone.

"The Taliban have no enmity with the political parties and these parties who have got the mandate of the people should strive for bringing peace and avoid repeating the mistakes of the Musharraf Government, " he added.

"The victory of political parties was due to Taliban who gained sympathies of the people by giving their blood and as a result of which people rejected the US and Musharraf policies and gave victory to their opposing political forces," Omar said.

ANI