Islamabad, April 6 (IANS) Pakistan has decided to free 13 more Taliban prisoners as part of an ongoing peace initiative, a leading Pakistani daily reported Saturday.

Emerging from a meeting of the government and Taliban negotiating committees, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan urged the the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) leadership to reciprocate to the government’s action for the success of peace talks.

The minister said some of those being released by the government were on a Taliban list.

Progress at talks and venue and date for the next round of direct talks between the government team and Taliban were discussed at the joint meeting.

The minister told reporters that next round of talks will be held next week and the number of released prisoner may rise to 30 before that. The government released 19 prisoners earlier this month.

Earlier on Friday, the TTP had extended till April 10 the ceasefire earlier announced by it and expressed the hope that the government would reciprocate its “gesture” with positive steps.

  announced, ceasefire, earlier, extended