The Pakistani government and militants Wednesday started swap of each other's prisoners in the northwestern tribal area, local TV channels reported.
Up to 30 suspected militants have been air lifted from detention centers to Jandola, a main town in South Waziristan, on Tuesday for the release, the News Network International news agency reported.
The mediators have secured verbal assurances from both sides to release prisoners, a step that will pave the way for a formal peace agreement, which will end years of violence in the area.
Reports said that a formal agreement could be inked in the couple of days between the government and militant leader Baitullah Mehsud. Mehsud would oblige the tribal elders by releasing several security personnel and government functionaries, the reports said.
The militant spokesman, Maulvi Omar, claimed in the past that the "Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan" had between 80 to 90 security personnel and government officials in its custody.
Meanwhile, army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said that the army has relocated their positions in Waziristan but denied withdrawal or reduction of troops, according to Geo television.
The withdrawal of troops has been the major demand from the Taliban in northwestern Pakistan, and the army spokesman acknowledged that in order to facilitate the return of displaced persons, the military had decided to readjust present positions and open various roads linking different villages and townships.
Abbas said that the troops were relocated away from the civilian population.
Abbas said that pulling out troops from the agency would be the decision of the government depending on the outcome of negotiations with tribes.
Hundreds of people, including security forces, have been killed in clashes in the tribal regions over the past few years.
Source:Xinhua
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