The Pakistani Taliban has ended ceasefire with Pakistan after it claimed that the government in Islamabad was not making enough efforts, and not fulfilling its demands.
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesperson Mohammad Khorasani has said the Pakistani government did not work towards making negotiations successful “so it is not possible to continue the ceasefire,” sources told CNN-News18.
The TTP further said it was ending the ceasefire over non-release of prisoners, continued military operations and lack of communication from the government of Pakistan.
The militant outfit claimed that the government released some of their prisoners but re-arrested them “in violation of the agreement”.
The talks between Pakistan and the outlawed TTP had reached a deadlock as the militant group refused to budge from its demand for the reversal of the merger of erstwhile FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) with the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
The breakdown in talks led to a spike in cross-border terrorist attacks by the TTP.
In April, two dozen Pakistani security forces were killed in a series of cross-border attacks. Some of the attacks filmed by the TTP showed the terrorists using sophisticated weapons.
The increase in attacks prompted Pakistan to launch air strikes across the border targeting the TTP’s hideouts.
Islamabad also in a rare move issued a stern warning to the Afghan Taliban not to allow the Afghan soil to be used against the neighbouring country.
The TTP was founded in 2007 in response to a Pakistani military operation clearing the Lal Masjid in Islamabad. TTP founder Baitullah Mehsud was once considered close aide of Pakistani’s ISI.
After its formation, the TTP began killing civilians and security forces. The Pakistani army retaliated and expelled the TTP leadership to Afghanistan where it had formed its base since 2015, conducting “low-intensity” warfare against Pakistan, according to a report in BBC.
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