PESHAWAR: Coordinator of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) committee Maulana Yousuf Shah on Saturday said the news of the release of 19 non-combatant Taliban from the government side held no truth and not a single name of the released men was on the list given to the government by the Taliban.
Moreover, Shah said the government should refrain from issuing rhetorical statements and take the Taliban committee into confidence regarding the issue of prisoners’ release.
He further said that the meeting between the Taliban and government sides would take place today.
In today’s meeting between the two sides, the TTP coordinator said the Taliban committee would put forth for discussion issues pertaining to the list of prisoners and the broader agenda for peace.
Earlier on Friday, the TTP had extended till April 10 the ceasefire earlier announced by it and expressed the hope that the government would reciprocate its ‘gesture’ with positive steps.
The extension came a day after the government had announced that it had released 19 non-combatant Taliban as a goodwill gesture for bolstering the peace process.