'Non-combatant' Taliban: scrutiny of list begins

The federal government has started the scrutiny of a list of 'non-combatant' Taliban detainees provided by the Taliban and sought further details for their possible release as a step forward towards further confidence-building measures to ensure the continuation of the peace process with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), it is learnt. 

The month-long cease-fire unilaterally announced by the TTP is going to expire on Monday (March 31) with the second direct interaction between the government-nominated team and the Taliban shura expected to be held a day later on April 01, 2014. Taliban shura in its recent interaction with the government committee had handed over a list comprising 300 to 400 'non-combatant' detainees including women and children to be exchanged for some non-combatants from the government side, including vice chancellor Islamia College University, Peshawar Ajmal Khan. 

Sources, however, revealed that the Taliban rejected the release of Ali Haider Gilani, son of the former Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Shahbaz Taseer, son of the late governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer, as, according to them, the two men did not come under the category of non-combatants. 

The Taliban's justification for not regarding them the status of non-combatants is the accusation that the former PPP-led coalition government and the incumbent in the Sindh government are subjecting Taliban prisoners and their well-wishers to "brutal torture" in custody. 

They further said the Taliban negotiators present in the meeting pointed out that the TTP is a representative organisation of various groups and those who had agreed on the cease-fire and the peace talks want non-combatants in government custody freed as a further confidence-building measure. 

The government claims technical issues including difficulties in identification of the nominated detainees and, therefore, has sought further details about the enlisted prisoners that would facilitate identification. 

According to insiders, the Taliban shura has also sought a "demilitarised peace zone" somewhere in Waziristan where they (Taliban) can move without any fear. Sources said the Taliban forwarded these two demands - release of non-combatants and a non-militarised zone - during the first direct meeting, which they said was held in a "cordial atmosphere" and was mostly about confidence-building measures. 

They said that during the next meeting which is expected to be held next week, the two sides would further deliberate upon a cease-fire extension and some other key issues in order to take the peace process further. They said that ahead of the direct interaction with the Taliban shura, the government-nominated committee is also expected to meet the Taliban nominated team in a two or two. 

The TTP announced a cease-fire on March 01, 2014, since then the terror incidents have declined. Three major terrorist attacks took place in Quetta, Peshawar and Islamabad during the period, which were claimed by Ahrar-ul Hind, hitherto an unknown organisation. However, the TTP quickly distanced itself from Ahrar-ul Hind. 

Source http://www.brecorder.com/general-news/172/1167447/