link>ISLAMABAD- The Pakistani officials have said the Taliban group is not prepared tohold talks with the government as reports indicate that the Taliban supremeleader Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada has sent a delegation to Islamabad toexplore ways for reviving peace talks.

Pakistani officials privy of the development have confirmed to Dawn Newsthat a delegation of the Taliban including Shababuddin Dilawar and MalawiRasool, came from Qatar to explore prospects of resuming talks.

However, they have said the Taliban remained unmoved. “They are sticking totheir past stance. They want to negotiate with the US through the QatarOffice, but refused to negotiate with the Afghan government.”

The officials have also added that Islamabad has proposed to the Talibandelegation to hold direct talks with the Afghan government which has beenturned down by the group.

This comes as sources privy of the development within the Taliban ranks hadearlier told Reuters that supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada hadapproved Monday’s exploratory meeting in Islamabad on restarting talks toend the war that kills thousands of Afghans each year.

However, a Taliban group spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid had earlier rejectedthe participation of the group’s representatives in the unofficial talksthat took place in Turkey.

“This is an intelligence game that aims at defaming and damaging the realpeace process in Afghanistan,” he had said in a statement.

A Presidential spokesman Shah Hussain Murtazawi had also said that theindividuals who have participated in the talks with the Taliban members inTurkey are not representing the government of Afghanistan.