Formal talks between govt, Pakistan Taliban to start this week

The banned militant group has handed over to the government a list of nearly 400 non-combatants it wants released from custody of security forces.  

However, it has said that all those released are not on the list handed over to the government.  

The government, however, has not agreed to the TTP's demand of declaring a “peace zone” in South Waziristan to facilitate their movement.

According to the TTP, the peace zone could serve as a possible rendezvous for talks between the two sides.  

The government has been facing opposition from the army over any move to accept the TTP's demand for the establishment of a peace zone outside North Waziristan on the grounds that doing so would send a wrong signal about the gains made so far in other tribal areas which have been cleared.