Pak to release Taliban prisoners; 2nd round of talks soon

Pakistan government today decided to release up to 13 non-combatant Taliban prisoners as part of a goodwill gesture with the second round of the peace dialogue expected during the next two to three days.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said some of the prisoners are those who are included in the list given by Taliban to the government.
Khan, talking to reporters after chairing a joint meeting of the government and Taliban negotiating committees here this evening, said the government released nineteen non-combatant Taliban last month and by the time the next round of direct talks begins next week, up to 13 more would be released.

The Interior Minister said the direct talks are entering defining moments as the two sides will discuss core issues in the coming round.
However, he cautioned that there cannot be one-sided traffic and the other side will also have to reciprocate the goodwill gesture of releasing non-combatants.
He said many people are in the custody of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and in today's meeting the government side particularly pointed out the names of Professor Ajmal, the son of former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, the son of late Punjab Governor Salman Taseer and some government employees.

He said there is no justification of detaining civilians, foreigners and government servants.

Meanwhile, the leader of the banned group's negotiating committee Maulana Samiul Haq said the second round of direct talks between the Pakistan government team and the Taliban is expected during the next two to three days.
Progress in talks, venue and date for the next round of direct talks between the government team and Taliban were discussed in the meeting, Haq said.
He said the venue and the timetable of the dialogue process are being sorted out.
Haq said today's meeting deliberated upon measures to promote the atmosphere of goodwill.
The meeting comes just two days after the government released 19 Taliban non-combatants as a goodwill gesture.

The banned group has handed over to the government a list of nearly 400 non-combats it wants released from custody of security forces.