MIRAMSHAH, July 20: The government on Thursday released 32 militants and removed two checkpoints as a goodwill gesture, ahead of a meeting between a jirga formed to restore peace in the region and militant commanders scheduled for Friday.

The release of the militants was greeted with gunfire and chants of Allah-o-Akbar. The militants were garlanded and taken to their areas in pick-ups flying Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam flags.

More militants are expected to be released in coming days as talks between the 45-member jirga and a shura of militant commanders led by Maulvi Gul Bahadar get under way.

One of the key demands of militants in the region, who announced a month-long conditional ceasefire on June 25, is release of their 60 comrades. The ceasefire is likely to be extended.

The authorities in North Waziristan also announced dismantling of two checkpoints manned by paramilitary forces on both sides of the Miramshah bazaar — Cemetery checkpoint on Bannu Road and Sargardan checkpoint on Dattakhel Road.

Militants have demanded withdrawal of troops from checkpoints to garrisons and eventually a complete pullout from the tribal region. They have also demanded that checkpoints set up recently be demolished.

Meanwhile, the inter-tribal jirga held a meeting at the VIP Circuit House in Miramshah with Maj-Gen Azhar Ali Shah and the agency’s administrator Dr Fakhr-i-Alam. The administrator said that the release of militants was a goodwill gesture and he hoped that the jirga would help restore peace.