Islamabad, Jan 26 : The Information Minister of Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, has said that talks with the Taliban are necessary to secure lasting peace.

Hussain said that invitation for talks with the Tehrik-i-Taliban, has been given with open arms.

He said that building a team for negotiations will be completed within the next twenty days, the Dawn reports.

According to the report, Iftikhar also said that Taliban militants were not released, but had been exchanged in a prisoner swap with the Afghan government.

During the event, Federal Minister for railways Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, said that Taliban commanders should come out in front themselves, rather then sending hired killers, the report added. (ANI)