Peshawar, Dec 10: The Pakistani Taliban is in peace talks with the Pakistani government, a senior commander in the militant group said today.
 He said negotiations were "progressing well" and could soon end in a formal agreement.
 The statement by Maulvi Faqir Muhammad is the first time a named Taliban commander has confirmed that the group is negotiating with the Pakistani government.
 But it is unclear whether he speaks for entirety of the network, which is believed to have splintered into different factions over the last year.
 Muhammad, said to be the deputy chief of the Pakistani Taliban, said his men had held "peace talks with relevant government officials."
 "They are progressing well, and we may soon sign a formal peace agreement with the government," he said in a telephone conversation.
 Government officials were not available for comment. They have previously denied earlier reports of talks.
 Despite pushing for peace talks to end a related insurgency in Afghanistan, Washington is unlikely to support similar efforts to strike a deal in Pakistan.
 Muhammad's main area of strength is the Bajur tribal region, where the army claims to have decimated militant networks in a series of recent operations. He said any deal in Bajur could be "role model" for the rest of the border region. AP

Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 11 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST