Pakistani Taliaban says government has increased attacks in tribal areas

Islamabad, March 23 (IANS) Pakistan’s outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has accused the government of increasing attacks on militant hideouts and raids on houses of its members in tribal areas.

TTP said Saturday that despite a ceasefire announced by the outfit earlier this month, its members in the custody of law enforcement agencies are not only being tortured but tortured with greater intensity, Dawn online reported Sunday.

The outfit’s spokesman Shahidullah Shahid told media personnel over phone that despite his group’s goodwill gesture the country’s authorities had intensified activities against the militants.

He said the government did not seem to be sincere towards having a dialogue with the TTP.

After the announcement of a ceasefire by the TTP, the government should have refrained from shelling or raiding the militants’ hideouts, the spokesman said.

Shahidullah added that it seems as if the government wanted the militants to resume carrying out attacks across the country.

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