Pakistan embassy in Kabul on Sunday confirmed the release of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the co-founder of the Taliban movement, and Mullah Abdul Samad Sani, also called Samad Sani, a Taliban commander.
The Pakistan embassy in Kabul told TOLOnews that the step was taken following Pakistan’s commitment to facilitate the Afghan peace process.
Sources and the Taliban last week confirmed the release of Baradar who they said was now back with his family in Karachi after spending eight years in prison.
However no details have been given on exactly when Baradar and Sani were released.
The move was met last week by mixed reaction in Kabul.
One former Taliban member said it was a positive step in terms of facilitating continued talks between Taliban, US and Pakistan while a political affairs analyst Nazar Mohamad Mutmaen said: “Pakistan released Mullah Baradar either due to US pressure or due to a goodwill (gesture) between US and Taliban. I think this shows goodwill by the US, Taliban and other countries for peace.”
Neither government nor the High Peace Council has yet commented but some political figures said the release of Baradar will prolong the war in Afghanistan, and will not help achieve peace.
“So far Pakistan is not ready to give up on its previous strategies and the release of him (Baradar) means the continuation of war. Same as the martyrdom of Gen. Raziq is the continuation of war, the release of Mullah Baradar is also the continuation of war,” said Ahmad Wali Massoud, head of Ahmad Shah Massoud Foundation.
Last week, a former member of Meshrano Jirga, Afghanistan’s Upper House of Parliament, Amanullah Azami said: “Mullah Baradar should be freed in real and no doubt he can play a positive role in peace because he was a prisoner of peace.”
Sources said last week that Baradar was released after the intervention of Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan’s Reconciliation, who visited Kabul twice this month to discuss peace talks with Afghan leaders.
Baradar is a co-founder of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan. He was Mullah Mohammed Omar, the founding leader of the Taliban’s deputy. Omar’s death was confirmed in October 2016.
Baradar was captured in Pakistan by a team of Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and US’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers in February 2010.
