KOHAT, Aug 1: A grand jirga negotiating peace in Hangu conveyed to the provincial government on Friday Taliban’s demands after talks with local militant chief Mullah Kareem.

Jirga members, including MPA Mufti Sayed Janan and Maulana Din Asghar, on Wednesday presented government’s conditions for release of militants during a meeting with Mullah Kareem at an unspecified place in Orakzai Agency. The Taliban chief demanded the release of all militants, including Rafiuddin, a lieutenant of Baitullah Mehsud, who was captured during the Hangu operation.

Hangu Nazim Khan Afzal, who is a member of the jirga, told Dawn: “Now it is up to the government to decide whether it wants to resolve the issue peacefully or not.”

He said that most of the demands were being kept secret, but eventually these would have to be resolved and made public. “Every party wants to have an upper hand and claim victory. This has made a peace deal tougher.”

He said the Taliban claimed holding over 20 government officials hostage while the government said that 90 militants were in its custody.

The nazim said that Mufti Janan, MNA Pir Haider Ali Shah and Hangu DCO Shahabullah Shah held talks with ANP officials in Peshawar on Friday and conveyed to them the message of the Taliban.

They will also meet the spokesman for the NWFP government, Afrasyab Khattak, and the matter is expected to be raised at the federal government level for a final decision.

Mr Afzal, however, was not hopeful about a positive outcome because both sides had adopted a rigid stance. “They have to show some flexibility if a solution is to be sought.”

He said the job of the jirga was to pave the way for talks, but a final decision on the agreement rested with the federal government and the Taliban.

In reply to question about his kidnapped brother, he said he had not received any message of ransom from kidnappers or about their motives.

Meanwhile, 18 major tribes of Orakzai Agency have asked the Taliban to end militancy or leave the area. They said they would not allow the militants to make their soil a battleground and establish a “state within a state”.

The situation in the region is still tense and police and army personnel are patrolling the Kohat-Parachinar road and others areas.