The Pakistani Taliban has announced they are ready to reconsider Sharif government's offer for peace talks.
The comments from the group came after they were suggested by Pakistani clerics regarding a ceasefire prior to peace talks.
Ulema (clerics) and representatives of various religious seminaries had expressed concern over the "civil war-like situation" in Pakistan and appealed to both the government and the Taliban to observe a "complete ceasefire" until the completion of the process of talks, Dawn News reports.
According to the report, the appeal was made in a joint statement issued after a 'consultative meeting' of the Ulema and teachers of seminaries held at a local hotel in Islamabad.
The outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said they welcomed Ulema's suggestion for a ceasefire.
He claimed it was the government which is launching the offensive against them, saying if it can take the lead in stopping the war, then they were also ready to follow it, the report added.