Taliban Calls for Peace Talks With New Pakistan Government

Map of Pakistan (file photo)

Pakistan's Taliban militants say they are willing to talk with the parties expected to form the country's new government, but only if military operations against militants and terrorists end in the tribal regions.

Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar made the statement during telephone calls with several news agencies Sunday.

Omar said the new government should avoid repeating the mistakes of Mr. Musharraf, who has been an ally of the United States in the war on terrorism.

Mr. Musharraf angered many Islamists by sending the army into tribal areas, near the border with Afghanistan, as part of a military offensive to flush out fighters connected to the al-Qaida terrorist network.

Hundreds of people have died in attacks linked to the militants over the past year.

The Taliban statements came as leaders from the country's two main opposition parties, the Pakistan People's Party, once headed by the late former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, and ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N, continue talks on forming a coalition government.