Pakistani Taliban Chief Throws Peace Talks With Government Into Disarray After Apparent Declaration Of War

Pakistani Taliban Chief Vows Fight For Sharia -- Al Jazeera

In video appearance, Mullah Fazlullah throws peace talks with government into disarray with apparent declaration of war.

Islamabad, Pakistan - In a rare video appearance, the chief of the Pakistani Taliban has declared that his group will continue to fight the state until Islamic law is enforced across the country, apparently scuppering the possibility of scheduled peace talks with the government.

"We have accepted Allah's writ and his power, and the Pakistan army, intelligence agencies and government must also accept Allah's writ," said Mullah Fazlullah while addressing a group of about two dozen fighters.

The video was released by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s media wing on Sunday and is the first appearance by the TTP chief since November 2013.

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Update: Fazlullah asks government, armed forces to accept Allah's writ -- Business Recorder

My Comment: What also has not helped these peace talks is the apparent split in the Taliban ranks .... Splits in Taliban Hamper Pakistan Peace Talks -- WSJ

The Pakistani Taliban Extend A March Ceasefire Until April 10

Pakistani Taliban Extends Ceasefire -- Al Jazeera

Armed group extends truce with government for 10 days day after 19 Taliban detainees are released.

The Pakistani Taliban has extended a March ceasefire until April 10, a spokesman said, following the release of a batch of low-level prisoners by the Pakistani government.

The government began negotiations with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) through intermediaries in February to try to end the group's bloody seven-year insurgency.

"We announce to extend the ceasefire till April 10 and TTP directs all Mujahideen to suspend their actions against government and security forces," spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said in a statement on Friday.

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More News On The Pakistani Taliban Extending A March Ceasefire Until April 10

Taliban extend ceasefire, ask Pakistan to meet demands -- Global Post/AFP
Pakistan Taliban extend ceasefire for 10 days after prisoner release -- Times of India/reuters
Pakistani Taliban Extend Cease-Fire After Release of Prisoners -- New York Times
Pakistan Taliban Extends Ceasefire -- Voice of America
Pakistan Taliban extends ceasefire till April 10 -- The Hindu
Pakistani Taliban extend ceasefire for 10 days -- Xinhaunet
Release of 19 Taliban will cool tempers, extend ceasefire -- International News
Pakistan frees 16 Taliban prisoners in bid to revive peace talks -- Reuters
Pakistan Tries to Revive Peace Talks by Freeing 16 Taliban Prisoners -- Time

Pakistan Opens First Ever Direct Talks With The Taliban

Professor Ibrahim (L) and Maulana Samiul Haq (R). — File photo

First Day Of Pakistan Taliban Peace Talks Concluded -- BBC

A first day of peace talks between the Pakistani government and the Pakistani Taliban has concluded in the tribal region of North Waziristan.

Local media reported that a ceasefire has been extended, but there was no official confirmation from either side.

It was the first direct contact between the two sides since peace moves began last month.

Militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have been waging an insurgency in Pakistan since 2007.

A team of four Pakistani government representatives travelled to the area near the Afghan border by helicopter.

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More News On Pakistan Conducting It's First Direct Talks With The Taliban

Extension in ceasefire agreed after first round of talks -- The Nation
First round of direct talks between govt, TTP concludes -- DAWN
Pakistani officials hold direct talks with Taliban -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
Pak govt negotiators meet Taliban; ceasefire to continue -- Times of India
Pakistan team holds first direct talks with Taliban -- CNN
Pakistan gov't, Taliban open peace talks in tribal region -- Global Post/Kyodo news
Pakistan Begins Peace Talks With Taliban -- Time

Pakistan - Taliban Peace Talks Collapse After 23 Kidnapped Pak Soldiers Executed

Taliban chief negotiators addressing a press conference in Islamabad (file photo)

Peace Talks Between Pakistan And Taliban Collapse After Killings -- Reuters

Feb 17 (Reuters) - Peace talks between the Pakistani government and Taliban insurgents broke down on Monday, the government said, after insurgents executed 23 paramilitary soldiers in what they said was revenge for army operations in the volatile tribal regions.

Pakistan watchers have always been sceptical that negotiations with the outlawed militant group could ever bring results in a country where the Taliban are fighting to topple the government and set up an Islamic state.

"It is sad that we are not moving in the right direction," Irfan Siddiqui, a government negotiator, said in a statement, adding that there was now "no use" holding a planned Monday meeting with Taliban representatives.

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More News On The Pakistan - Taliban Peace Talks Collapsing

Pakistan Scraps Taliban Talks After 23 Kidnapped Troops Killed -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Peace talks collapse as Taliban execute 23 Pakistani soldiers -- The Telegraph
Pakistan peace talks in crisis after killing of kidnapped soldiers -- Global Post/AFP
Pakistan peace talks in crisis after killing of soldiers -- Gulf News
Pakistan peace talks stalled by soldier deaths -- Washington Post/AP
Pakistan peace talks hit by soldier's deaths -- Al Jazeera
Taliban Execution of Pakistani Security Forces Stalls Talks -- Voice of America
Killing of Pakistani soldiers by militants 'heinous' - PM -- BBC

Pakistan - Taliban Peace Talks Begin

Maulana Sami ul-Haq (C), one of the Taliban negotiators, speaks during a news conference with his team members Ibrahim Khan (L) and Maulana Abdul Aziz (R) in Islamabad, Feb. 4, 2014.

Pakistan, Taliban Begin Peace Talks -- Voice of America

Negotiators for the Pakistani government and the Taliban have met in Islamabad for a first round of talks aimed at ending the militants' bloody insurgency.

Thursday's meeting was aimed at charting a plan for future peace talks.

The Taliban demands include imposition of strict Islamic law, the release of its fighters from jail and the withdrawal of government troops from northwestern tribal areas of Pakistan. The region is known for harboring local and foreign militants.

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More News On The Beginning Of Pakistan - Taliban Peace Talks

Pakistan enters peace talks with Taliban -- BBC
Pakistan, Taliban start peace talks in Islamabad -- Reuters
Pakistan government, Taliban begin talks -- AFP
Peace talks start between Pakistan, Taliban team -- Bloomberg Businessweek/AP
Pakistani Government, Taliban Start Peace Talks -- Radio Free Europe
First formal talks between Taliban and Pakistani government 'under way' -- The Telegraph
Pakistani Taliban begin peace talks with government -- The Guardian
Govt, TTP negotiators chart roadmap for peace talks -- DAWN
Pakistani government and Taliban hold talks -- Al Jazeera
Pakistan-Taliban peace talks: A stall tactic? -- Chelsea Sheasley, Christian Science Monitor

Preliminary Pakistan-Taliban Peace Talks Delayed

Preliminary Peace Talks With Pakistani Taliban Postponed -- Radio Free Europe

A meeting has been delayed between the Pakistani government and Pakistani Taliban to discuss the possible launch of peace talks.

Reports say the meeting in Islamabad, scheduled for February 4, was postponed by the government.

Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan representative Maulana Sami-ul-Haq said that the delay shows that the government isn't serious about negotiations.

The meeting was intended to be a preliminary discussion about the holding of negotiations to end years of violence linked to the Pakistani Taliban insurgency, which began in 2007.

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More News On The Preliminary Pakistan-Taliban Peace Talks Being Delayed

Pakistan peace talks with Taliban are delayed -- BBC
Pakistan peace talks with Taliban team delayed after government negotiators fail to show up -- FOX News/AP
Pakistan-Taliban peace talks falter -- AFP
First meeting in Pakistani talks with Taliban cancelled -- The Guardian
Taliban criticize Pakistan peace talks delay -- Blouin News
Pakistan: Taliban criticise peace talks delay -- BBC
Confusion, doubt as Pakistan tries to talk to Taliban militants -- Global Post/Reuters
Pakistan press sceptical about Taliban talks -- BBC
Pakistan Taliban talks delayed. What does each side want? -- Umar Farooq, Christian Science Monitor
Analysts say peace with Pakistan Taliban unlikely -- Tim Craig; Washington Post/Gulf News
Why talks with the Pakistan Taliban may never succeed -- BBC

Pakistan - Taliban Peace Talks Failing

Peace Talks Between Pakistan And Taleban Faltering -- Arab News

ISLAMABAD: Exploratory peace talks between Pakistan and Al-Qaeda-linked Taleban insurgents have made little progress, a senior security official told Reuters on Thursday.

The official said the group, seen as the biggest security threat to the strategic US ally, had flatly rejected a demand that it work through tribal elders to reach a deal whereby fighters approach authorities and lay down their arms.

“They felt it would be humiliating,” he said. “The talks are not making progress.”

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My Comment: When one side wants you out of the picture (or dead) coupled with the imposition of a ideology that is as extremist and intolerant as radical Islam .... your options for a negotiated settlement are very very limited. In the meantime .... the slaughter and mayhem continues.

Pakistan Peace Talks Met With Skepticism

As Pakistan Eyes Peace Talks With The Taliban, Anxiety Builds -- L.A. Times

Past deals with the militants have backfired, each time giving the insurgents an opportunity to regroup and replenish their ranks.

Reporting from Islamabad, Pakistan — Every time Pakistan hammered out peace agreements with militants, the results were disastrous. The groups grew stronger, and the toll their bomb blasts took on civilians steadily rose.

That history explains why anxiety is rippling through the country as talk builds of the prospect for peace negotiations with the Pakistani Taliban, the homegrown insurgency responsible for most of the suicide bombings and terrorist strikes that have killed thousands of people in recent years.

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My Comment: I feel like the character of Bill Murray in the movie Groundhog Day ..... repeating the same story day after day after day. These `peace talks`in the past never accomplished anything .... and I see very little to change this point of view. Proof of my skepticism .... Hafiz Gul Bahadur who signed a "peace agreement" with the Pakistan government in 2007 is now threatening to break it because the Pakistan government is permitting US forces to target his forces and the forces of his allies who are involved in the war in Afghanistan .... as well as attacking Pak Government soldiers.

Talk about "giving your cake and wanting to eat it to".

Pakistan -- The Price of Peace Deals

From Newsweek:

As Pakistan's new government pursues peace deals with Islamic militant leaders in tribal regions along the Afghanistan border, some U.S. counterterrorism officials fear their "worst nightmare" is unfolding: a scenario in which Al Qaeda leaders in the area will have more freedom than ever to recruit and train new members. But the Bush administration is internally divided about how best to approach the situation. U.S. officials say they are particularly alarmed by the new coalition government's negotiations with Baitullah Mehsud, a fierce tribal boss and Qaeda sympathizer based in South Waziristan province whom Pakistan's own government has accused of orchestrating the December 2007 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. (Bhutto's widower, Asif Ali Zardari, now heads her political party and is one of Pakistan's senior leaders.)

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My Comment: As I have mentioned before on this blog, every time Pakistan has reached a peace agreement with al Qaeda and Taliban sympathisers in its border regions with Afghanistan, the violence in Afghanistan escalates. It is reassuring that after reading this Newsweek article that members of the U.S. intelligence community also see the same correlation.

An interesting article from the International Herald Tribune -- Pentagon Drops Post In Pakistan For Top General -- makes you wonder who is in charge of the American military.