Not quite a ceasefire

• As ceasefire between government and Taliban braces extension, incidents of terrorism question the credibility of truce
• Sources say government has referred issue of Taliban prisoners to Law and Justice Ministry

Violence continues in the country despite a ceasefire with the terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). On Sunday, an indefinite curfew was imposed in the TTP stronghold North Waziristan Agency (NWA) after a security convoy came under attack in the area.

On Saturday, TTP interlocutor Professor Ibrahim had said the Taliban were ‘men of words’ and they had not fired a single bullet after the declaration of ceasefire.

The security convoy narrowly escaped a remote-controlled explosion in NWA, official sources said.

Sources said that unidentified terrorists had planted the bomb on Miranshah-Dattakhel Road, which went off soon after the security forces convoy passed by. However, no casualties were reported in the attack.

Separately, 19 people were injured on Sunday after two blasts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Sixteen people were injured in a bombing near Bara Qadeem area of Sarband near the border of Khyber Agency. Two of the injured are said to be in a critical condition.

Moreover, another bombing outside a house in Zargarabad area of Peshawar also left three people injured, including two women and a child. According to the police, the first bombing occurred in a workshop near a check post.

As violence continues to paint the country red, the month-long ceasefire announced by the Taliban, which ends on March 31, will be extended as the government and the banned group work towards a solution to curb terrorism.

The two parties agreed to carry forward the peace process at a joint meeting presided over by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. Members of the government and Taliban committees attended the meeting.

The meeting also deliberated over the forthcoming agenda of next round of dialogue, while sources have also opined that success of dialogue process would ensure the release of Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture.

Sources have disclosed that members of both dialogue committees would remain strongly aloof from media, since many otherwise confidential issues were disclosed, misconstrued by media sources, not auguring well for the spirit and success of dialogue.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, TTP committee head Samiul Haq confirmed that the ceasefire would continue beyond March 31.

However, he did not say whether the ceasefire was still “temporary” or “permanent”.

Later, talking to Pakistan Ulema Council Chairman Allama Tahir Ashrafi over telephone, Sami hoped for progress in the release of non-combatant prisoners both by the government and Taliban. He said the ceasefire between the two sides would continue. The TTP committee head said the nation was praying for success of peace talks and he was confident that the ceasefire would remain effective.

FOR SPEEDY RELEASE:

Moreover, Online reported Sunday that the federal government has referred the issue of Taliban prisoners to the Law and Justice Ministry.

According to sources, the ministry has not received the government directives so far, adding that it is possible that they might be received on today.

Separately, the government has announced that it has been able to locate hidden dissident groups in Taliban ranks, responsible for post-ceasefire terrorism. The Taliban assisted search of such elements, involved in terrorism, including attack on the Islamabad district courts.

Meanwhile, Professor Ibrahim said that an exchange of non-combatant prisoners would be made very soon between the government and TTP. In an interview, he said that both the committees would soon be going to the tribal areas for holding the second key meeting with the Taliban Shura.

THEY DON’T WANT PRISONERS?

Surprisingly, the British media has reported Rustam Shah Mohmand, the government committee member, claiming that the Taliban made no formal demand for the release of their prisoners and said it was merely their wish.

Talking to BBC Urdu, Mohmand said that the government was mulling over the issue of release of prisoners and added if someone has been arrested without any evidence, then his release would definitely be considered.

Moreover, the government interlocutor said the Taliban should have a free-zone facility, where they could move about without fear. He said there were many areas in FATA where the Taliban and government negotiators could hold talks freely.