Islamabad, Feb 14 : The Pakistani government has urged the Taliban to
announce a 30-day ceasefire as a precursor to peace talks which the
banned terror group had offered earlier this month.

The
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stepped up attacks in recent months,
leading to fears that violence could mar general elections scheduled to
take place by mid-May.

Ehsanullah Ehsan proposed talks with
Islamabad provided that certain opposition politicians, including main
opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, act as guarantors.

Sharif welcomed the peace talks offer but refused to be a guarantor.

Interior
Minister Rehman Malik has said that `first there should be ceasefire
and peace talks can be held only after it,' the Express Tribune reports.

In December, TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud said he was open to peace talks but refused to disarm.

Critics
have accused the authorities of appeasement in trying to broker peace
with the TTP in the past, charging that such deals give the militants
time to regroup before launching further attacks, the paper said. (ANI)