A spokesman for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Maulvi Omar, on Friday said talks with the Swat Taliban were underway to review the decision about ban on female education in the valley. "The people of the valley will hear good news and schools in Swat will reopen soon," he told The News by telephone from an undisclosed location.The Taliban were not against girls' education, Maulvi Omar said, adding that the Taliban Shura was in contact with the Swat-based militants to convince them to review their decision about the closure of all girls' schools in Swat.
He expressed the hope that the Swat Taliban would soon announce the reversal of ban on female education on their FM radio. "The basic manifesto of the Taliban allows female education that is why contacts were made with Maulana Fazlullah in this regard," he said.
Maulvi Omar warned officials of the Central Jail Adiala, Rawalpindi, of serious consequences if the alleged torture on the arrested Taliban was not stopped. He alleged that the prisoners were exposed to inhuman torture to the extent that they had protested against the jail authorities inside the prison.
The TTP spokesman claimed that the banned outfit had never tortured any personnel of security forces or government official as that was against the rights of prisoners. Maulvi Omar said that in a recent meeting, presided over by Baitullah Mehsud, the TTP condemned the treatment meted out to the Taliban prisoners in various jails of the country.