Pakistan promises to release Afghan prisoners: Taliban

The issue was discussed as a six-member Taliban delegation led by chief of its political office in Qatar met with Pakistan’s foreign minister in Islamabad on Tuesday.
Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman, said that Pakistani officials promised that all necessary steps for release of prisoners will be taken.
He said that those without families or held on petty crime charges will be freed while prison sentence of those held on serious charges will be reduced.
Shaheen said that Pakistan was also requested to grant academic scholarships to Afghan students and provide them with necessary facilities. He said that problems faced by Afghan refugees and traders were also discussed.
Talks were also held about establishing peace and security in Afghanistan and the region and intra-Afghan negotiation and peace in Afghanistan were considered vital for both countries and the region, he said.
Under the US-Taliban deal, intra-Afghan negotiations would begin in March, but disagreements over the issue of prisoner release have delayed the talks.