Taliban’s committee member Professor Ibrahim has said that efforts are being made to strike a consensus on the establishment of a peace zone in Waziristan.
Peace zone is one of the two demands made by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in their first round of direct talks with the government in late March.
Ibrahim said that release of non-combatants, a second Taliban’s demand, would be a significant progress.
“Our meeting with the government’s committee was very positive. Both parties are serious and will soon evolve a consensus on the issue of peace zone,” he said. “We will try to persuade Taliban to declare a permanent ceasefire.”
On Saturday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali announced that another 13 Taliban members would be released by the government as a goodwill gesture.
He hoped that Taliban would reciprocate the government’s gesture by releasing hostages.