Report of Taliban commander’s arrest, a propaganda: Pakistan
February 17th, 2010 - 1:47 am ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Feb 17 (IANS) The reports that Taliban’s top commander has been arrested in a joint raids by the US and Pakistani intelligence forces was a “propaganda”, said Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rehman Malik.
“We are verifying all those we have arrested. If there is any big target, I will show the nation,” Malik told reporters outside parliament here Tuesday.
The comments came a day after the New York Times reported Monday that Afghanistan’s top Taliban military leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar was captured in Karachi during a secret joint operation by Pakistani and American spy forces.
“If the New York Times gives information, it is not a divine truth, it can be wrong. We have joint intelligence sharing and no joint investigation, nor joint raids,” Malik said.
“We are a sovereign state and hence will not allow anybody to come and do any operation. And we will not allow that. So this (report) is propaganda,” The DawnNews quoted Malik as saying.
Abdul Baradar is an Afghan and is described by American officials as the most significant Taliban leader to be detained since the American-led war in Afghanistan started more than eight years ago.
He is considered the second most influencial leader after Mullah Muhammad Omar, the Taliban’s founder, and a close associate of Osama bin Laden before the Sep 11 attacks.
Mullah Baradar has been in Pakistani custody for several days, with American and Pakistani intelligence officials both taking part in interrogations, the Times said citing unnamed officials.
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- Pak arrested Afghan Taliban commander Baradar to scuttle deal with India, West - Aug 23, 2010
- Taliban deny reports about top military commander Mullah Baradar's arrest - Feb 16, 2010
- Taliban's 'shadow governors' arrested in Pakistan: Army - Feb 18, 2010
- Malik snubs US, says deputy Taliban leader will not be handed over - Feb 20, 2010
- US-Pak joint intelligence operation nabs second Afghan Taliban leader - Feb 18, 2010
- CIA wants Pak to hand over Mullah Baradar to Afghanistan for interrogation - Feb 21, 2010
- Taliban Leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar Taken Into Custody - Feb 16, 2010
- Pakistan to hand over captured Taliban leaders to Kabul - Feb 25, 2010
- Afghan Taliban military chief arrested in Karachi: Report - Feb 16, 2010
- Pak accepts Kabul's demand to hand over Baradar - Feb 25, 2010
- Afghan officials slam Pak's 'double game' to derail peace talks with Taliban - Apr 10, 2010
- Two more top Taliban operatives arrested in Karachi - Mar 01, 2010
Tags: american officials, american spy, dawnnews, divine truth, intelligence forces, intelligence officials, interior minister, karachi, military leader, mullah muhammad omar, new york times, osama bin laden, pakistan islamabad, pakistani custody, rehman, sep 11 attacks, sovereign state, taliban leader, target, war in afghanistan