A top Afghan Taliban leader has been captured in Pakistan in what would be the fourth detention in recent weeks of senior members of the insurgent group, US media reported yesterday.
Mullah Abdul Kabir, a member of the militia’s ruling council, was picked up several days ago in Nowshera district in Pakistan’s northwest, according to reports in the New York Times and Washington Post that cited unnamed Pakistani security officials.
Pakistani officials declined to confirm the reports.
If confirmed, the arrest would be a further sign that Pakistan is turning away from its old strategy of allowing Afghan Taliban leaders safe haven in the country — something that could have far-reaching implications for the US-led war in Afghanistan.
Last week, Pakistani and US officials said the No. 2 Afghan Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, had been caught some 10 days earlier in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi.
Two other Taliban leaders — Mullah Abdul Salam of Kunduz Province and Mullah Mohammad in Baghlan Province — were arrested separately in Pakistan about 10 to 12 days ago, Kunduz governor, Mohammad Omar, said.
The reports gave few details of Kabir’s arrest, except that it happened recently.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin said yesterday he was stepping down to focus on his private business interests.
Tarin’s resignation is not expected to destabilize the government but international donors will be keen to see a respected minister appointed in his place.
“Tarin knows and understands the market well and there’s a bit of uncertainty about who will replace him,” said Sajid Bhanji, a dealer at brokers Arif Habib Ltd.
There has been speculation for weeks that Tarin, who negotiated an IMF loan in 2008, would resign.
“It is our duty, we should not mix up our official duties and personal business,” Tarin told Dunya Television.
Earlier, government officials said Tarin was stepping down to focus on his private banking interests.
In March 2008, a consortium comprising the International Finance Corporation, Bank Muscat, Nomura and Sinthos Capital, led by Tarin and another Pakistani banker, Sadeq Saeed, bought an 86.55 percent stake in Silk Bank for about US$213 million.
“He will be leaving soon, maybe as early as this week,” said a government official, who declined to be identified.
“He said he needs to focus on his business and that he can’t do both things at the same time,” he said.
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