Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud has told the BBC he is open to "serious talks" with the government but says he has not yet been approached.

In a rare interview, he denied carrying out recent deadly attacks in public places but said he would continue to target "America and its friends".

The chief loosely controls more than 30 militant groups in the tribal areas.

After being elected PM in May, Nawaz Sharif announced he would open unconditional talks with the Taliban.

The interview with Hakimullah Mehsud was conducted by the BBC's Ahmed Wali Mujeeb this month in an undisclosed location in the north-western tribal areas.

Asked about the possibility of peace talks with the government, Mehsud said: "We believe in serious talks but the government has taken no steps to approach us. The government needs to sit with us, then we will present our conditions."

He said that for any ceasefire to be credible "it is important that drone strikes are stopped".

Mehsud has a $5m FBI bounty on his head and is thought to be responsible for the deaths of thousands of people. But in the interview he denied carrying out recent deadly attacks in public places.

Hakimullah Mehsud came to prominence in 2007 as a commander under then Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud, with the capture of 300 Pakistani soldiers adding to his prestige among the militants. After Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a US drone strike in August2009, Hakimullah was appointed leader.