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Reports Say Islamabad To Free Former Afghan Taliban Second-In-Command

September 10, 2013

A senior Pakistani official is quoted as saying Islamabad is ready to release former Afghan Taliban second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in an effort to help end nearly 12 years of war in neighboring Afghanistan.

Afghan government peace negotiators have repeatedly called for the release of Baradar, the most senior Taliban figure detained in Pakistan, and a co-founder of the militant movement.

Sartaj Aziz, who is Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, told news agencies, 'In principle, we have agreed to release him. The timing is being discussed. It should be very soon. ... I think within this month.'

Aziz said Baradar would be released in Pakistan and not handed over to Afghanistan, as Kabul had hoped.

The Afghan government considers Baradar as more open to dialogue than many others within his organization. It remains unclear whether he would promote peace or war against President Hamid Karzai's Western-backed government after his release.

Baradar is one of the co-founders of the Taliban movement in 1994, and was reported to be a close aide and one of the most trusted commanders of Mullah Muhammad Omar, the spiritual leader of the Taliban.

Considered once one of the most ruthless Taliban figures, he was given his nom de guerre of 'Baradar,' or 'brother,' by Mullah Omar. He was captured in Pakistani port of Karachi in February, 2010.

One Of Many Releases

Pakistan has already released 33 Afghan Taliban prisoners over the past year, including the militants' former justice minister, Nooruddin Turabi.

In the most recent move, Islamabad on September 7 announced it was releasing seven other Taliban detainees, including high-profile military commander Mansoor Dadullah.

Pakistan said it had freed the militants 'to facilitate' the Afghan reconciliation process ahead of the international forces' scheduled withdrawal in 2014.

Afghan officials believe the releases can encourage former detainees to talk to the Kabul government. Analysts say, though, there is little evidence those hopes have been realized, as several former prisoners are also believed to have returned to the battlefield.

Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Al Jazeera

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/pakistan-taliban- release/25101664.htmll

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.