Security officials said that once at Wana, the prisoners were handed over to office of the political agent, who then handed them to the Taliban.
Source/Credit: Pakistan Today |
By Mian Abrar | April 3, 2013
Struggling to woo the Taliban in a bid to revive the peace talks, the political administration of North Waziristan Agency (NWA) has released at least 16 ‘combatant and non-combatant’ prisoners of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Pakistan Today has learnt.
Waziristan political agent Islam Zeb said that the ones released were ‘innocent tribals’ who were arrested from South Waziristan during different search operations. However, he did not contradict the claim that some combatants had also been released.
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 will be released in the next few days, he added.
The released inmates include Mera Jan, Abdullah Jan, Salamat Khan, Badshah Gul, Abdul Aziz, Noorzada, Satta Jan, Saddam Hussain, Ziauddin, Sherpao, Riaz Ali, Mir Alam, Sher Alam Khan, Iqbal and Noor Alam.
Intelligence officials confirmed that the prisoners were brought to the Zari Noor army camp in Wana. Security officials said that once at Wana, the prisoners were handed over to office of the political agent, who then handed them to the Taliban.
It is pertinent to mention that the enclave on the Afghan border was once the epicentre of a spreading Taliban insurgency and the site of a major military offensive in 2009 that displaced half a million people.
The release is another major breakthrough towards revival of the dialogue process between the government and militants as the TTP spokesman has demanded release of 800 TTP prisoners if the government wanted an extension in ceasefire. The Taliban have also demanded withdrawal of the army from parts of the semi-autonomous tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan
Despite a ‘successful’ first round of direct peace talks between the government and Taliban, the latter is yet to formally extend the truce after the month-long ceasefire which ended March 31, saying that the government was “not serious” about meeting their demands.
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Read original post here: Pakistan: 16 ‘good Taliban’ walk free, others putting boots on
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