Peshawar, Apr 28 : Pakistani Taliban commander Baitullah Mehsud has cancelled peace talks with the Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani Government as it refused to withdraw troops from a troubled tribal area, but the ceasefire would remain intact.

Mehsud’s spokesman Maulvi Omar said: “The government refused to pull out its forces from the tribal areas which forced Mehsud to call off the talks.”

“Taliban remain firm in the ceasefire, but Mehsud warned that if the government launched any action his fighters would retaliate,” Omar added.

The government has failed to implement promises made under the peace accord, the Dawn quoted the spokesman, as saying.

Pakistan's new government launched talks with the rebels soon after winning elections in February, amid concerns that the military-orientated tactics of President Pervez Musharraf were spawning more violence.

The talks aim is to transform a month-long lull in suicide bombings into a permanent peace with the rebels, who have fought the government since Islamabad joined the US-led "war on terror" in 2001. (ANI)