Summary Interior ministry disclosed the details about released Taliban prisoners.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar met here on Thursday to discuss security issues. Interior ministry also released information about release of 19 ‘non-combatant’ Taliban prisoners, Dunya News reported.
Prime Minister was briefed that all released prisoners belonged to Mehsud tribe. Interior ministry also released detail about the prisoners. According to details, 3 prisoners were released on March 1, 5 on March 25, and 11 on March 28.
The ministry revealed all these prisoners were arrested on the basis of intelligence reports and suspicion.
Earlier, foreign news agency Reuters has claimed that the government of Pakistan will release 100 more Taliban prisoners. The government has started releasing non-combatant prisoners to boost reconciliation efforts.
According to Dunya News, South Waziristan’s political administration released 16 Taliban prisoners on Wednesday as part of goodwill gesture.
According to reports, those freed were arrested during various search operations in South Waziristan two years ago. Sources say the free men include Mera Jan, Abdullah Jan, Salamat Khan, Bandshah Gul, Abdul Aziz, Noorzada, Satta Jan, Saddam Hussain, Ziauddin, Sher Pao, Riaz Ali, Mir Alam, Sher Alam Khan, Iqbal, Noor Alam.
The political agent of South Waziristan, the highest government official in the northwestern tribal region, confirmed.
"South Waziristan s political administration released sixteen men on April 1," Islam Zeb told Reuters.
"They are not major commanders. They are innocent tribals who were arrested during different search operations in South Waziristan in the last two to three years."
He said these men are freed upon guarantee of Senator Saleh Shah and have nothing to do with negotiation process.
Zeb said all the released prisoners belonged to the Mehsud tribe, a major Pashtun tribe living in South Waziristan. Another 100 prisoners on the Taliban s list were being processed and would be released in the next few days, he added.
