By Kevin M. Mathewson
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan announced on Saturday that they are releasing seven Taliban prisoners in an attempt to improve the Afghan peace talks which have stalled.
The release of the prisoners was a long standing demand coming from Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan.
“In order to further facilitate the Afghan reconciliation process, Pakistan is releasing seven Taliban detainees namely Mansoor Dadullah, Said Wali, Abdul Manan, Karim Agha, Sher Afzal, Gul Muhammad and Muhammad Zai.” the foreign ministry said in a statement Saturday.
Among those released, Dadullah is a senior militant commander, captured by Pakistani security force in February of 2008.
Kabul urged for the release of Abdul Ghani Baradar, who was deputy leader of the Taliban when he was arrested in the Pakistani city of Karachi in 2010. Analysts have confidence that his release is crucial to restoring goodwill between Kabul and Islamabad, the capital city Pakistan.
The announcement came after Afghan President Hamid Karzai pressed Pakistan to support peace talks between his government and the Taliban during a visit to Islamabad last week. Karzai was in Islamabad to meet new Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
The Afghan President had identified Taliban havens in Pakistan as the main cause of increased violence in his country. Parts of Pakistan’s intelligence service have long been accused of aiding and providing the Taliban refuge on Pakistani soil; an accusation that Pakistan denies.
Yet, analysts are uncertain whether Pakistan has the influence to force the Taliban to negotiate with Afghanistan. The insurgents have publicly refused all contact with the Afghan government, branding it a U.S. puppet.
On Thursday Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul said that fears of a resurgent Taliban once the bulk of Western forces withdraw from Afghanistan next year are exaggerated. Roughly 87,000 U.S.-led NATO troops are to leave Afghanistan next year, leaving the country’s police and military troops in charge of security nationwide.
For further information, please see:
The Peninsula – Pakistan frees seven Taliban prisoners – 8 September 2013
BBC News – Pakistan ‘frees seven Taliban prisoners’ – 7 September 2013
The Telegraph – Pakistan frees Taliban prisoners to help Afghan peace process – 7 September 2013
Yahoo! News – Pakistan releases seven Taliban prisoners – 7 September 2013
