Pakistan peace talks in crisis after killing of kidnapped soldiers
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
ISLAMABAD, Feb 17 (AFP): Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif condemned as "heinous" on Monday the alleged execution of 23 kidnapped soldiers by the Taliban, casting an uncertain peace process with the insurgents into doubt just two weeks after talks began.
A faction of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from the northwestern Mohmand district claimed on Sunday night that they had killed 23 paramilitaries who they seized nearly four years ago near the Afghan border.
"Such incidents have an extremely negative impact on the ongoing dialogue aimed at promoting peace," Sharif said in a statement issued by his office.
A four-member government negotiation team immediately pulled out of peace talks with their Taliban counterparts scheduled for Monday in the northwestern town of Akora Khattak.
Sharif said that Pakistan "cannot afford such bloodshed" and lamented that previous attempts to start dialogue were "sabotaged whenever it reached an encouraging stage".
He announced the start of talks with the Taliban on January 29 to "give peace another chance" following a seven-year insurgency that has claimed nearly 7,000 lives.