KARACHI: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan Thursday said that peace talks with Pakistani Taliban militants cannot go along with persistent terrorist attacks across the country which are being claimed by the insurgents, DawnNews reported.

Speaking to reporters at Karachi airport, he said restoration of peace in Pakistan was a national issue.

“On one hand we are engaged in dealing with elements trying to disrupt peace initiative and on the other with people who want to talk,” said the minister expressing his annoyance on the matter.

“Nevertheless, one thing is clear that peace talks cannot go alongside terrorist attacks,” he added.

Meanwhile, government negotiators have apprised the Taliban committee regarding their reaction on the issue, saying that prevailing terrorism was creating a negative impact on the dialogue process.

In a letter written to the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) negotiators, the government committee said that Taliban must put a stop to the prevailing terrorist activities.

Irfan Siddiqui, the coordinator of the government committee told DawnNews that the letter was written in light of conditions put forward by the Taliban and the point of view of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He said the government committee was ready to hold next round of talks with the TTP negotiators whenever they are ready.

Siddiqui, who is also the special assistant to the PM on national affairs, emphasised that peace talks must be carried out within the parameters of the Constitution of Pakistan.

Official sources said that government negotiators were not happy regarding interviews of TTP’s central spokesman Shahidullah Shahid on a daily basis saying it was contrary to an understanding reached in the first official meeting of the two committees.