Nawaz Sharif says government has initiated talks with Taliban

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that his government has initiated dialogue with the Taliban and that he has apprised US President Barack Obama about the development, state-run media reported today.

Sharif said his government initiated the talks with the Taliban in the light of decisions made by an All-Parties Conference, Radio Pakistan reported.

Talking to Pakistani journalists before leaving the US after an official visit' he said he had apprised Obama about the talks' which will help "establish peace in the country and the region".

The report did not give further details. Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan had asked the government to allow the Taliban to set up an office in Peshawar to facilitate dialogue.

He had cited the example of the Afghan Taliban establishing an office in Qatar.

Sharif's government decided to hold talks with militants to end a raging Taliban insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives. The government was mandated by the All-Parties Conference to hold talks with the Taliban and other militant groups.