ISLAMABAD: Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council, claimed on Sunday that the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had suggested to the government to set up a judicial commission to ascertain facts about detention of what it called non-combatants.

“This is one of the recommendations of Taliban that there should be a judicial commission on the issue of TTP prisoners,” Maulana Ashrafi told this correspondent.

He said the Taliban had made the suggestion during their first meeting with government negotiators in tribal areas last week. He said he urged the government from the platform of Pakistan Ulema Council to set up a judicial commission.

“Although the government is sticking to its stance that there is no TTP non-combatant in the custody of security forces, it should consider Taliban’s recommendation and form a judicial commission so that the actual position could be ascertained,” Maulana Ashrafi said after a telephonic conversation with Maulana Samiul Haq, head of the committee representing the TTP.

He quoted Maulana Sami as saying that there would soon be some progress on the issue of release of TTP non-combatants.

Rustam Shah Mohmand, a member of the government committee, said the Taliban had not presented any formal demand about release of their men. “They rather expressed desire for the release of their non-combatants.”

Maulana Ashrafi said the issue of TTP prisoners was not as simple as it appeared because Taliban claimed to have proof of detention of their non-combatants while security forces rejected the claim.

But he said he hoped the peace process would go ahead and the ceasefire announced by the TTP and reciprocated by the government would be extended. When asked about media reports that Taliban had refused to release sons of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer, he said these reports were not correct. “I categorically reject the reports that Taliban have refused to release these people.” Maulana Ashrafi said TTP leaders had complained during their talks with the government committee that the PPP government in Sindh was still hostile to Taliban and was ill-treating TTP prisoners in jails in the province.

“The attitude of the government, especially Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, and the TTP leadership is quite positive,” he said, adding that Taliban and the government and the army and ISI were on the same page on different issues.