ISLAMABAD: Afghan Taliban second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was released by Pakistan on Saturday, Express News reported.
He will be provided with security and will be given the freedom to meet and communicate with who he wishes.
The Afghan government had long demanded that Islamabad free Baradar, whose arrest in January 2010 saw Pakistan accused of sabotaging initiatives to bring peace in war-torn Afghanistan.
Last week, Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had said that the former Taliban chief strategist would not be handed over to Afghan authorities and instead would be released straight into Pakistan.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai was eager to see him out of Pakistani custody. Karzai remained confident Baradar’s release could woo Taliban insurgents to join the peace process.
The Pakistani government started releasing Taliban detainees since November last year and 33 have been freed so far. None of them, however, have joined the peace process yet.
Baradar’s influence has also been debated after his years away from the fight.
Born in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan, Baradar fought in the war — covertly backed by the United States and Pakistan — to expel Soviet troops from Afghanistan in the 1980s.
When the Taliban rose to power in 1996, Baradar’s friendship with supreme leader Mullah Omar made him deputy defence minister.
After the Taliban government was toppled by the US-led invasion in 2001, hundreds of Taliban hardliners are believed to have fled over the border to Pakistan.
Baradar was arrested in Karachi, reportedly in a secret raid by CIA and Pakistani agents, an operation that was described as a huge blow to the group.
At the time, Baradar was reported to have been Taliban’s second-in command.
COMMENTS (18)
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bigsaf
Pakistan succinctly understands the difference between Afghan peace talks and Indo-Afghan designs to harm Pakistan. Any peace talk between Afghan government and militants MUST include Pakistan as we have been providing shelter to millions of Afghans who in turn have caused havoc and destruction here.
Afghanistan
In my opinion, both TTP and Afghan Taliban are equally bad, but that doesn't mean that Pakistan must not try to use whatever influence she has over the militants for security of our country. I do hope to see a better and prosperous Afghanistan, but not at the cost of Pakistan's national interests.
@S K Afridi: Why would Afghanistan seek the release Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar when he was not handed over to present Afghan govt? Who is more foolish here?
@S K Afridi: Mr Afridi, I don't know what kind of concessions do you expect from us while these Taliban are your invented phenomenon which work for your interest and this time you are releasing him for your own sake because Pakistan is also in trouble due to TTP. Also nowadays Affridis work more in Afghanistan than Pakistan so it's better to give a chance to peace so that there would be more economical opportunities for Pakistanies especially to your tribe.
@Rabbani: we know you are using our illiterate Talib by the name of islam for your national interest which now they turn their guns to you in the form of TTP. Try to get lessons from killing of 40000 Pakistanies due to your so called strategic depth policy.
Looks like His Mujahids just struck Kenya to celebrate.And brave ,as always, they are,they struck a mall filled with innocent people including women and children. 30 dead so far.
Who is the Pakistan army trying to fool? Others or itself? Baradar's limits of co-operations are to be determined by Pindi GHQ. After all these years and the literal burning of Pakistan itself, the brass hats are still not willing to learn. Don't be surprised if after 2014, Pakistan finds itself in a far worse position than it is in today.
@Rabbani:
So the policy in relations with our neighbour is to sabotage any peace talks the Afghan govt might have with a willing peace seeking militant (the only reason Pak arrested Baradar was because he was seeking a peace deal without the Pak govt, who insist to impose uncompromising demands driven by an ideological paranoia of India, hence the insane deceiving double crossing even with the US and international community) and instead prolong the conflict with violent war mongering militants, by giving them safe haven and refusing to hand them over, to threaten Afghanistan and Afghans as hostages, rather than let them be stable, independent and sovereign making peaceful trade with nations we blindly hate, in hopes of forcing them into servitude to our selfish delusional regional whims and wishes for competing power through violence, all the while we are being eaten by the same violent ideologues we cultivate. Do you realize how demented and evil such policies sound?
Good decion
"He will be provided with security and will be given the freedom to meet and communicate with who he wishes." The distance of prison boundary wall is increased otherwise no change in his freedom.
This is a very welcome step taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's government to restore peace and stability of the country. Pakistan should release all Taliban fighters to insure their peaceful activities. PML N's Government should also consider instituting cases against the families of all the victims, either killed or injured by Taliban, for being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Pakistan must not handover Baradar or any prominent Taliban leader to Afghanistan. Doing so, would dwindle whatever leverage we possess over Afghanistan and our own security and national interests could come under jeopardy. Lets keep all the cards in our hands. Pakistan Zindabad.
.....so we release known hard core criminals in order to give peace a chance ?? I wonder which country is dictating policy to us and why ?
Sometimes they tell us that this releasing of Taliban leaders isn't helping the peace process but then, they release their number 2... why this kolaveri-di?
it's very upseting to see people who have killed so many innocent people be released.
Good decision.
Give peace a chance.
Like always, this is a one sided concession by Pakistan to Afghanistan. What are we getting in return-- 5 dead bodies in Chaman area. Afghanistan has neither reciprocated earlier nor it will reciprocate positively now. Whom do we want to please by surrendering our national interests.