ISLAMABAD-
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have asked the Pakistani government to release from jail 300 people they say are non-combatants, as part of an ongoing peace process aimed at ending the militants’ seven-year insurgency.
A list handed over by the TTP includes women, children and old men, a negotiator for the group told a foreign news agency on Tuesday, saying their release would boost the dialogue process that began in February.
“The Taliban gave us a list of around 300 detainees during our recent visit to North Waziristan, which we have handed over to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan,” professor Muhammad Ibrahim told the news agency.
“The interior minister assured us he would look into the list and thoroughly investigate the matter.”
A spokesman for the interior ministry could not be immediately reached for comment on whether Pakistan is holding the non-combatants.
