Pakistan decides to ban Haqqani network

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has outlawed the Taliban-linked Haqqani network, officials said on Friday.

Senior Pakistani government officials told Reuters a formal announcement of the ban would be made "within weeks".

"We have decided to ban the Haqqani network as a step in implementing the National Action Plan devised after the (Peshawar) school attack," said a cabinet member, referring to amassacre of 134 children by Taliban gunmen last month.

"The military and the government are on the same page on how to tackle militancy. There is no more ´good´ or ´bad´ Taliban.

"Kerry specifically pressed for action against the Haqqanis, including banning the group," the official added.

A second official, a minister who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the decision to outlaw the Haqqani group