Pakistan Taliban head Hakimullah Mehsud 'open to talks'
Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud has told the BBC he is open to "serious talks" with the government but says he has not yet been approached.
In a rare interview, he denied carrying out recent deadly attacks in public places but said he would continue to target "America and its friends".
The chief loosely controls more than 30 militant groups in the tribal areas.
After being elected PM in May, Nawaz Sharif announced he would open unconditional talks with the Taliban.
The group has killed thousands of people in its war against the Pakistani state in recent years.
Asked about the possibility of peace talks with the government, Mehsud said: "We believe in serious talks but the government has taken no steps to approach us. The government needs to sit with us, then we will present our conditions."
They control areas in the north-west and have been blamed for a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks.
He said that for any ceasefire to be credible "it is important that drone strikes are stopped".
The second-in-command of the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, Waliur Rehman, was reportedly killed in a suspected US drone strike in May.
"The government of Pakistan bombs innocent tribal people due to the pressure of America... Drone strikes conducted by Americans were [backed] by Pakistan. Then the Americans pressed Pakistan to start ground operations in these areas, and Pakistan complied.
"So the government is responsible for past failures."
Mehsud has a $5m FBI bounty on his head and is thought to be responsible for the deaths of thousands of people.
"As for explosions which cause damage to the life and property of Muslims, we have denied any link in the past, we deny any link today."
Mehsud added: "We have targeted those who are with the infidels, America, and we will continue to target them."
When asked about the withdrawal of US-led troops from Afghanistan at the end of next year, he said: "America is one of the two reasons we have to conduct a jihad against Pakistan. The other reason is that Pakistan's system is un-Islamic, and we want it replaced with an Islamic system.
"This demand and this desire will continue even after the American withdrawal."
Source: BBC
