Talks in advanced stage: Govt may move Baradar to Turkey, Saudi Arabia

Top official says ex-Taliban deputy could spearhead talks with Afghan govt from there.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan is considering transferring Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the former deputy commander of the Afghan Taliban, to another country as part of efforts to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

Over the last few months, Islamabad, Kabul and Washington have been quietly discussing the fate of Mullah Baradar – who was once considered the most influential Taliban leader after Mullah Muhammad Omar – a senior official told The Express Tribune on Sunday.

Discussions on the matter are at an ‘advanced stage’, he added, saying the three countries were working out the modalities for moving the former Taliban deputy commander to another country. The official, who chose to remain anonymous, disclosed that under the proposal, Baradar may be transferred either to Saudi Arabia or Turkey.

“If everything goes according to plan, Baradar would not only be moved to another country but he would most likely spearhead talks with the Afghan government and the US,” he said.

Baradar is one of the four insurgents who founded the Taliban movement and was the day-to-day commander responsible for leading the militant campaign against US and Nato troops until his capture in 2010 in Karachi by a joint team of CIA and Pakistani intelligence officers. At the time of his arrest he was holding peace talks with the Afghan government and had also reportedly met President Hamid Karzai.

Washington initially hailed the arrest as a significant blow to the insurgency but found out later that Islamabad allegedly captured the Taliban commander in a bid to scuttle the secret peace talks he had been conducting with the Afghan government, which excluded Pakistan.

Although he has been in Pakistani custody since, Baradar is still considered a key Taliban leader who could play a vital role in brokering a peace deal. He was believed to have played a major role in persuading his leadership to set up a political office in Doha.

“That is why his (Baradar’s) case is different from other detainees. So any decision regarding his release or transfer to another country will be taken very carefully,” said another official. He indicated that he might be handed over to Saudi Arabia, where the Taliban are likely to establish their new political office.

Their Doha office had to be shut down due to strong reservations by the Karzai administration. However, Kabul is willing to relocate the Taliban office to either Saudi Arabia or Turkey.

Kabul has long been seeking the release of all Taliban detainees currently under Pakistan custody.

Islamabad on Saturday freed another seven Taliban prisoners in a latest push to break an impasse in Afghan reconciliation process but has yet to make any announcement about the fate of Baradar.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said Pakistan would take all possible steps ‘it deems’ helpful for the Afghan reconciliation.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 9^th, 2013.