Updated on Friday, October 17, 2008, 00:00 IST

Islamabad, Oct 17: Pakistani authorities on Friday said it was ready to respond to offer of dialogue by local Taliban militia provided they laid down their arms unconditionally, gave up anti-state activities and initiate talks through tribal elders.

Responding to a Taliban spokesman's offer for a dialogue, the secretariat of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas said in a statement that it had no objections to negotiating with the militants but they should approach the political authorities through tribal elders and not through the media.

Talks would be held only with militants who laid down their arms unconditionally and gave up anti-state activities, the statement said, apparently hinting that there could be no cessation of operations till these conditions were met.

The official statement also set out that Parliament had unanimously decided that the government's writ will be established throughout the tribal areas.

It charged that the militants wanted to mislead the nation and elected representatives by offering talks through the media and that the offer was an attempt to neutralise tribesmen who had stood up with arms to take on the militants.

Pakistani Taliban spokesman Maulvi Omar had on Wednesday offered to hold unconditional talks with the government if it stopped military operations against the militants. "We are willing to negotiate with the government without any conditions," he said.

"We are also willing to lay down our arms once the military ceases operations against us," Maulvi Omar said. The Taliban would also ask militants in Pakistan not to interfere in the affairs of Afghanistan, he added.

Pakistani security forces are now conducting operations against the Taliban in the Bajaur tribal region and the Swat valley in the North West Frontier Province. The government has adopted a three-pronged strategy comprising political dialogue, economic development and use of force as a last resort to tackle militancy in Pakistan's lawless tribal belt.

The US has described the tribal belt as a safe haven for the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and American drones have carried out a series of missile strikes on militant bases in the region over the past few weeks.

Bureau Report