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Taliban Urge Pakistan to Free Senior Leader, as Promised Taliban and Pakistan Argue Over Fate of Islamist Detainee
(about 1 hour later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban said Wednesday that a senior insurgent leader, who Pakistan announced last month had been released after more three years in prison, remains in custody. But Pakistan insisted it had released the man, along with several other Taliban detainees in an effort to push forward stalled peace talks. KABUL, Afghanistan — The Taliban on Wednesday publicly disputed claims by the Pakistani government that it had released a senior militant detainee, drawing a firm rebuttal from Islamabad and plunging efforts to start peace talks in Afghanistan into fresh confusion.
The competing claims left in doubt what had been the one promising development in the peace talks in months. The Taliban said in a written statement that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a founder of the Islamist movement, was “spending days and nights locked up behind bars in worrisome health conditions, which are deteriorating by the day.” —
The Taliban claim, if true, would likely renew concerns about Pakistan’s commitment to the peace effort. The Taliban said in a written statement that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a founder of the Islamist movement, “is still spending days and nights locked up behind bars in worrisome health conditions, which are deteriorating by the day.” The insurgents said they had released their statement about Mr. Baradar because his release had become “a hot subject spread by media outlets.” The statement contradicts a Pakistani claim, made on Sept. 21, that Pakistani security forces had released Mr. Baradar in a bid to boost the faltering peace effort. Mr. Baradar was detained in the port city of Karachi in 2010 and his fate has become closely tied to efforts to kick-start negotiations.
“Some media outlets have gone as far as claiming that he is busy in political activities,” they said. Last week Pakistani news media outlets reported that since his putative release, Mr. Baradar has been staying in guesthouses in the northwest of the country, under the watch of Pakistan’s security services. It is unclear whether he can move of his own free will — or whether, as hoped, he has engaged other Taliban leaders in the talks process.
Within hours, though, Pakistan’s foreign ministry insisted it had delivered on its promises to free Mr. Baradar. Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, the main spokesman for the foreign ministry in Islamabad, said Pakistan had released several Taliban detainees to facilitate the Taliban reconciliation process in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, the Taliban said they was publicly addressing Mr. Baradar’s position in response to news media speculation about his new role. “Some media outlets have gone as far as claiming that he is busy in political activities,” they said.
“Mullah Baradar has been similarly freed,” he said in a text message. “As far as we are concerned, he is free to meet and contact anyone to advance the cause of reconciliation.” But Pakistan’s foreign ministry insisted it had delivered on its promises to release the commander, describing him on Wednesday as one of several Taliban detainees freed to facilitate the reconciliation process.
Pakistan announced last month that it had released Mr. Baradar, who was captured more than three years ago in a joint raid by the Central Intelligence Agency and Pakistani intelligence in the Arabian Sea port of Karachi. “Mullah Baradar has been similarly freed,” said Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, the foreign ministry spokesman, in a text message. “As far as we are concerned, he is free to meet and contact anyone to advance the cause of reconciliation.”
Mr. Baradar’s detention quickly became a point of contention with Afghan authorities. They insisted he was detained for making peace overtures without the blessing of the Pakistani military, and viewed his continued imprisonment as an effort by Pakistan to undermine the stalled peace process. As often in the smoke and mirrors game of efforts to draw the Taliban into talks, it was difficult to know where the truth lies. The Taliban claim, if true, would renew concerns about Pakistan’s commitment to peace talks.
Just as likely, however, the statement was part of the complex and often opaque maneuvering involving insurgents, Afghan government officials, Pakistani spies and Mr. Baradar himself, as all sides balance the merits of talking versus fighting at a time when American combat forces are readying to leave Afghanistan next year.
During a visit to Pakistan in the summer, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan personally pressed for Mr. Baradar to be released.During a visit to Pakistan in the summer, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan personally pressed for Mr. Baradar to be released.
When the announcement came in September that Mr. Baradar was finally set free, it was immediately hailed in Kabul and Washington as a sign that Pakistan, under new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was sincere about moving forward peace talks and improving relations with Afghanistan.When the announcement came in September that Mr. Baradar was finally set free, it was immediately hailed in Kabul and Washington as a sign that Pakistan, under new Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, was sincere about moving forward peace talks and improving relations with Afghanistan.
The Taliban, though, did not confirm Mr. Baradar’s release at the time. Their silence reinforced doubts about what influence Mr. Baradar, a former deputy to the movement’s leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, would have within the insurgency after a long stint in prison.The Taliban, though, did not confirm Mr. Baradar’s release at the time. Their silence reinforced doubts about what influence Mr. Baradar, a former deputy to the movement’s leader, Mullah Muhammad Omar, would have within the insurgency after a long stint in prison.
On Wednesday, the group added: “We earnestly ask the Pakistani government and officials to give clarification, and, just as they have announced, he should be released.”On Wednesday, the group added: “We earnestly ask the Pakistani government and officials to give clarification, and, just as they have announced, he should be released.”
The Taliban, who call themselves the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, added that “the Islamic Emirate and his family believe it to be his legitimate right to be freed under humanitarian and Islamic sympathy from his wrongful imprisonment due to his deteriorating health condition.”The Taliban, who call themselves the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, added that “the Islamic Emirate and his family believe it to be his legitimate right to be freed under humanitarian and Islamic sympathy from his wrongful imprisonment due to his deteriorating health condition.”
Aimal Faizi, the spokesman for Mr. Karzai, said in an interview last week that there had been no contact between Mr. Baradar and the Afghan government. Aimal Faizi, a spokesman for Mr. Karzai, said in an interview last week that there had been no contact between Mr. Baradar and the Afghan government.

Declan Walsh contributed reporting from London.

In a parallel but separate process, the Pakistani government is also considering peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban, although the prospects for success seem even more remote. On Wednesday the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, appeared in a BBC television interview, saying he was ready to enter negotiations.
But Mr. Mehsud, who has a $5 million bounty from the United States on his head, also expressed skepticism that talks could go anywhere, and issued a list of demands that would be difficult for Islamabad to deliver, such as a complete cessation of American drone strikes in the Pakistani tribal belt.
A lively debate in Pakistan about the merits of talking to the Taliban has been influenced by three major bombings in the northwestern city of Peshawar in recent weeks that killed at least 140 people, as well as an ambush on a military convoy in which a two-star general was killed.
The BBC report on Mr. Mehsud also aired video of Taliban fighters playing on the edge of a small river, tossing each other into the water, in what may have been attempt by the insurgent movement to portray a lighter image of itself.

Matthew Rosenberg reported from Kabul, and Declan Walsh from London.