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Govt to release 75 Taliban prisoners today

MINGORA: The government is to release 75 Taliban prisoners from the TimerGara jail in Malakand today (Thursday), Daily Times has reliably learnt. “This batch of 75 prisoners consists of those put into ‘grey’ and ‘black’ categories of the Taliban prisoners,” said an official source on condition of anonymity. Those coming into ‘white’ category had already been freed, he added. The release of all Taliban prisoners was agreed to in the pact signed on May 21 in Peshawar between the NWFP government and Swat-based Taliban. The source said the prisoners’ release was discussed during a high-level meeting between the provincial government and Taliban in Peshawar on Tuesday and that all Taliban prisoners would be set free in the coming week in a gradual process. Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan dissociated his men from the recent incidents of violence in Swat and said some anti-peace elements were involved in the recent incidents of kidnappings and other crimes. NWFP Minister for Environment Wajid Ali Khan, who is a key member of the government committee negotiating with the Taliban, said officials would review cases of the prisoners and would release those found innocent. shahzad alam

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