Pakistani Taliban seeks release of 5 militants but jittery Imran Khan offers to free over 100

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The Pakistani government has offered to release more than 100 prisoners of the banned militant organisation Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), although the TTP has asked for the release of only five top militants.</p>
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Islamabad’s ‘’generosity” reflects how desperate the Imran Khan government is appease the TTP militants so that they declare a ceasefire.</p>
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"Pakistani authorities themselves offered to release 102 prisoners, including the five important leaders so that the peace process could yield results," says a report of local daily<em> The News</em> quoting sources.</p>
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<a href="https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/906331-ttp-to-cease-fire-as-govt-ready-to-release-prisoners">https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/906331-ttp-to-cease-fire-as-govt-ready-to-release-prisoners</a></p>
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According to Pakistani experts, Imran Khan and the Pakistani military establishment are both on the same page as far as the TTP issue is concerned. In the last month, the TTP has carried out more than 50 attacks and are posing a major problem for the Pakistani army.</p>
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According to multiple sources, some of the top militants were arrested by the Pakistani army in 2009-10 and were lodged in different jails across the country. Now all the prisoners, who are to be released, have been taken to Miranshah in North Waziristan. Miranshah is the stronghold of the UN designated terrorist organisation Haqqani Network (HQN) and the chief of the outfit Sirajuddin Haqqani, who is also the Interior Minister of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan who is mediating the talks between the TTP and the Pakistani government.</p>
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<strong>Also read:</strong>  <a href="https://www.indianarrative.com/world-news/desperate-pakistan-knocks-on-haqqani-terror-chief-s-door-for-truce-with-arch-foe-ttp-126184.html">Desperate Pakistan knocks on Haqqani terror chief’s door for truce with arch-foe TTP</a></p>
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These prisoners will be handed over to the Haqqani network and will be further taken to Khost in Afghanistan where the talks are taking place for the last two weeks.</p>
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Though the Pakistani government had asked the TTP to lay down arms, the TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud told the Pakistani side that it would be "too early to" surrender.</p>