Citing what they believe to be the non-serious attitude of the security forces and government, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) announced on Monday that it was postponing the peace talks.

In an eight minute video released by the TTP from an undisclosed location, its spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan claimed that the security forces and government are not serious about the peace dialogue, which is why the TTP have decided to postpone the peace talks.

With masked armed men standing behind him, the TTP spokesperson further demanded that the people not participate in the public gatherings and rallies of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami national Party (ANP), claiming both of these parties are on the TTP’s (hit) list.

Influential politic-religious leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman asked the government earlier in March to give the go-ahead for peace talks with the Taliban.Addressing a gathering at the provincial secretariat of his eponymous faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, the Maulana said that Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the outlawed umbrella of militant groups, has expressed confidence in a tribal jirga which has been trying to broker peace in the region.

The PPP-led government, however, did not respond to the Taliban offer, and Interior Minister Rehman Malik insisted that the Taliban “back had been broken” which forced the militants to attempt dialogue.

The TTP have been involved in a string of attacks on both Pakistani civilians and military personnel. They had claimed responsibility for the bomb attack on ANP minister Bashir Bilour in December.