Thursday, 3 April 2014

Taliban inmates release: PM House withdraws denial



ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister House has withdrawn the statement which was issued to deny the news report by Reuters that claimed 16 Taliban prisoners were released on the order of Nawaz Sharif in a bid to revive peace talks with militants.

The Reuters citing a political agent in FATA reported that 16 Taliban prisoners were released on orders of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The Prime Minister House came into action and denied the news report, saying that no Taliban prisoner was released on the orders of Sharif.

It said that the report regarding the release of prisoners was baseless since the prime minister had not ordered the release of any Taliban inmate.

Later, interior ministry issued details of the 19 released non-combatant Taliban prisoners. According to the ministry official, three prisoners were released on March 21 and five prisoners on March 25 while eleven prisoners were freed on March 28.

The ministry official said all the released prisoners belonged to Mehsud tribe. He said these prisoners were arrested on the basis of intelligence reports and suspicion.

It is policy of the government and the Armed Forces that those arrested persons who are proven innocent after investigations should be freed, the official added.

The Prime Minister House withdrew denial following the issuance of details by the interior ministry about 19 released Taliban inmates.

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