Pakistani officials held their first direct talks with senior Taliban members on Wednesday as part of peace efforts to end their seven-year insurgency, though no immediate breakthroughs were announced.

The government opened negotiations with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) last month and meetings so far have been conducted between go-betweens for the two sides.

Extending a Taliban ceasefire due to expire next week was seen as a top priority in Wednesday's talks held in the tribal region of North Waziristan -- the first to directly involve government officials and Taliban leaders.

But the militant group's spokesman told AFP after the meeting that he had no news to share.

"I am yet to see Shura members who held talks with the government team and I will share the details later once I have a meeting with them," said Shahidullah Shahid.

The government last week formed a new four-member committee for the direct contact, which met with four members of the Taliban Shura (council).

Wednesday's talks took place in a border village in the restive North Waziristan tribal district, according to one security official.

A government official in Islamabad said committees on both sides were "expected to exchange a list of demands".

The Taliban have asked the government to release from jail 300 people, including women, children and men they say are non-combatants.

The peace talks were a key campaign pledge for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif before he was elected to office for a third time last year.

But analysts are sceptical about their chances for success, given the Taliban's demands for nationwide sharia law and a withdrawal of troops from the lawless tribal zones.

Many regional deals between the military and the Taliban have failed in the past.

Moreover, attacks claimed by splinter factions have continued during talks and despite the Taliban ceasefire.