PESHAWAR: A key member of the government negotiating team Rustam Shah Mohmand said on Monday that the federal government has agreed to a phase-wise release of all Taliban prisoners against whom there is no evidence of involvement in militancy.
Talking to media, Rustam Shah said that both the Taliban and the government are holding each other’s prisoners but the exact number is not available.
On Saturday, the federal minister for interior Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that the government has decided to release up to 13 Taliban prisoners as part of goodwill gesture, adding that some of the prisoners are those included in the list given by the Taliban to give to the government.
The interior minister said that the government released 19 non-combatants Taliban earlier in March and by the time the next round of direct talks begins next week, with the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Shura the number would reach 30.
Rustam Shah further said that polio vaccination will be part of the discussion during the next meeting with the TTP Shura.
The government committee member said that the Taliban will be pursued for permanent ceasefire in a bid to cover all issues. He added that with the environment of trust and confidence dialogue can be held in nearby areas also.
