AKORA KHATTAK: The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has asked the government to earmark a “free peace zone” where militant leaders could come without any fear for holding peace talks with the government committee.

Talking to BBC Urdu Service in Akora Khattak on Monday, head of TTP negotiators’ committee Maulana Samiul Haq said FC and other law-enforcement agencies had set up checkposts in many areas, leaving the Taliban unable to move about freely.

He said there would be frequent rounds after formal talks started for which there should be a free peace zone so that dialogue could progress without hindrance.

Maulana Haq said at present the Taliban leadership was underground for fear of arrest.

In reply to a question, he expressed ignorance about the whereabouts of TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah.

Our Peshawar Bureau adds: Professor Mohammad Ibrahim Khan, a member of the Taliban negotiating team, has suggested that a general amnesty and withdrawal of troops from at least two areas of South Waziristan could play an important role in resolving the issue of militancy.

“The issues of withdrawal of army from Makeen and Ladha areas of South Waziristan and a general amnesty for militants will come under discussion during a meeting between the government negotiating committee and leaders of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan’s Shura,” he told members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet belonging to the Jamaat-i-Islami on Monday.

In a press release issued after the meeting, JI information secretary Advocate Israrullah quoted Prof Ibrahim as saying that the army could pull out troops from Makeen and Ladha if it could not leave the entire area of the Mehsud tribe.

“The Taliban have not laid down any demand or condition for meeting the government committee. These are just proposals,” said Prof Ibrahim, who had held consultations with the Taliban Shura in North Waziristan last week.

The Shura wants to meet the government committee in Makeen or Ladha. Both Baitullah Mehsud and Hakeemullah Mehsud were from Ladha.

The press release said that Professor Ibrahim and Maulana Yousaf Shah had asked the Taliban Shura to release Mohammad Ajmal Khan, Vice Chancellor of Islamia College University, Peshawar, and the Shura did not refuse to release him. Mr Ajmal Khan was kidnapped in September 2010.

Sources said the TTP might release VC Ajmal Khan after meeting the government committee. “He (Ajmal) may be released very soon,” said one source.

Prof Ibrahim said they had also asked the TTP to release Ali Haider Gilani, son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, and Shahbaz Taseer, son of Salman Taseer.

He said the Taliban would definitely seek a general amnesty for their people who were either in government custody or on the list of wanted men.

According to the press release, the Taliban committee has handed over a list of 300 women, children and non-combatant elderly people to Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan for their release and may come up with another list.

The TTP claims that these people are in the custody of security forces, but the army has denied it.

According to PPI, Prof Ibrahim said the Taliban and government committees would meet in a day or two. The likely venue will be Miramshah, Bannu Airport or F.R. Bannu, depending on an agreement between the two sides.

The Taliban were not in favour of Miramshah because they did not want to create problems for Hafiz Gul Bahadur.