ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has convened a meeting of the committees representing the government and the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) here on Saturday (today).

Informed sources said the meeting would discuss the future course of action and was expected to be followed soon by another round of direct talks between the government committee and the TTP shura.

The meeting will review the outcome of the first direct talks held between Taliban shura members and the government negotiators on Wednesday.

An official source said the government desired speedy progress in the dialogue process and did not want to see it unnecessarily prolonged.

The first round of direct talks was held at an undisclosed location in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. The second one might take place at some other place, a source said.

An official said dialogue was still the first priority for the government, but not the only option.

He said ‘reasonable’ demands of the TTP would be considered and efforts would be made to take the peace process to its logical conclusion.

The meeting of the two committees on Saturday will be held two days before the month-long ceasefire announced by the Taliban ends. But the government wants the ceasefire to continue beyond the March 31 deadline.

Sources confirmed that the Taliban had sought release of hundreds of their prisoners and said “they will be asked to soften their position”, indicating that a rigid position on the issue would not be acceptable.