Nawaz Sharif approves release of 12 Taliban prisoners

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has approved release of 12 Taliban prisoners as a goodwill gesture for bolstering the peace process, Dawn reported Sunday.

The daily sited sources as saying that the 12 "low profile suspected militants" held by security agencies could be released in next couple of days to meet a key demand of the Taliban.

The Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leadership recently handed over a list of prisoners to the government negotiating team, the report said.

"None of those to be released is important," the report said.

It added that the talks could resume soon after Sharif's return from China, where he is currently visiting.

The TTP Friday presented two conditions for the talks to continue - immediate release of non-combatant prisoners and declaration of a peace zone where the militants can freely move about.