ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said that the peace process is moving in the right direction.

Speaking at a press conference after presiding over a meeting of the committees representing the government and the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan on Saturday, he asked critics of the peace process to see its achievements.

He pointed out that the number of suicide attacks and other terrorist acts had come down drastically over the past few weeks.

“Military operation is very easy, but working for peace is a difficult task.”

The minister expressed the hope that efforts for reconciliation would bring peace in the country.

He said the government would release more “non-combatant militants” before the next round of direct talks with the TTP shura next week and hoped that the other side would reciprocate.

Chaudhry Nisar was hopeful that the exchange of prisoners would help expedite the peace process.

“Nineteen Taliban were released last month and the number will reach about 30 before the next round,” he added.

He was optimistic that the TTP would also start freeing prisoners soon. Among such prisoners are sons of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer as well as a former vice chancellor of a Peshawar university.

The minister said the two sides would present their demands during the coming round.

He said the government wanted to see peace in the country through steps within the ambit of the constitution and added that no step would be taken against the interest of the country.

Chaudhry Nisar refused to comment on recent comments of PPP Co-chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari against the peace process, saying that “I do not react to statements made by children”.

“Such statements cannot change the negative opinion of people about the PPP because it did nothing for peace during its five-year rule,” the interior minister observed

About the TTP’s demand for a peace zone, he said “the Taliban in fact want identification of places where they can easily move for talks and such locations are being identified”.

Earlier the head of the Taliban team, Maulana Samiul Haq, told reporters that the meeting expressed satisfaction over extension of the ceasefire by the TTP.

He welcomed the “positive steps” taken by the government and said it was contemplating doing more. The meeting also discussed goodwill gestures which could be taken by both sides, he added.

He said the TTP Shura would be asked to release non-combatant prisoners.

Maulana Sami said the venue of the next round of talks would be decided in two days and both parties would present their demands there.

He agreed that the announcement of a permanent ceasefire could free the two sides from pressure related to time.

He was optimistic about the success of talks because, he said, confidence-building measures were being taken by both sides.

Maulana Sami parried a question whether the TTP would apologise to about 50,000 families whose loved ones had fallen prey to its terrorism. Retired Major Amir and Rahimullah Yousufzai also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile, an official dispelled a perception that the army was opposed to the peace process. He told Dawn that “the release of non-combatant Taliban shows that the civilian and military leaderships are on the same page on the dialogue process”.