Sharif to set date for Mullah Baradar’s release

KABUL Ghani Baradar upon his return home.

Currently on an official visit to Turkey, Sharif is expected to fly back to Pakistan tomorrow (Thursday). He said Pakistan had agreed during President Hamid Karzai’s visit to Islamabad last month to set Baradar free.

The modalities of the Taliban’s second in command release would be discussed when he returned home, Sharif told a joint press conference with his Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Sharif in Ankara late on Tuesday.

According to the Associated Press of Pakistan, he hastened to explain Pakistan would not hand Baradar over to Afghanistan directly. His government would decide on the “mechanics” of his release, he said, without giving details.

On Monday, Sharif’s advisor on foreign affairs said Pakistan could release the Taliban leader in a day or two in a move aimed to rejuvenate the stalled Afghan-led peace process.

Sartaj Aziz, in an exclusive talk with Dawn.com, said handing over the key commander to Afghanistan would sabotage the very objective behind the decision to free him.

“Ghani Baradar will be freed into Pakistan and he will remain in the country until he decides himself to move anywhere he deems necessary to initiate the peace process,” Aziz added.

PAN Monitor/mud

Views: 1