This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-20877983
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan 'frees Afghan Taliban ex-minister Mullah Turabi' | Pakistan 'frees Afghan Taliban ex-minister Mullah Turabi' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan has freed the Afghan Taliban's ex-justice minister, Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, and three other Taliban prisoners, officials say. | Pakistan has freed the Afghan Taliban's ex-justice minister, Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, and three other Taliban prisoners, officials say. |
| Afghan officials have been in talks with Pakistani counterparts to try to free certain Taliban prisoners in order to push forward a peace process. | Afghan officials have been in talks with Pakistani counterparts to try to free certain Taliban prisoners in order to push forward a peace process. |
| Pakistan released 13 Afghan Taliban members in November. | Pakistan released 13 Afghan Taliban members in November. |
| However, the former Afghan Taliban number two, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, remains in Pakistani custody. | However, the former Afghan Taliban number two, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, remains in Pakistani custody. |
| Nato troops are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and Kabul hopes the freed Taliban figures can help bring the militants into formal peace talks. | Nato troops are scheduled to withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 and Kabul hopes the freed Taliban figures can help bring the militants into formal peace talks. |
| High Peace Council | |
| Pakistani officials confirmed to Reuters and Agence France-Presse news agencies that the latest releases had gone ahead. | Pakistani officials confirmed to Reuters and Agence France-Presse news agencies that the latest releases had gone ahead. |
| Senior Afghan officials also confirmed the releases to the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul. | Senior Afghan officials also confirmed the releases to the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in Kabul. |
| The officials named the other men released as: | The officials named the other men released as: |
|
|
| Our correspondent says the officials hope that Mullah Turabi's release will encourage field commanders to lay down their weapons and will also provide a greater understanding of the Taliban's senior leadership. | Our correspondent says the officials hope that Mullah Turabi's release will encourage field commanders to lay down their weapons and will also provide a greater understanding of the Taliban's senior leadership. |
| It is unclear how long Mullah Turabi had been in Pakistani custody, but he was said to be in poor health. | It is unclear how long Mullah Turabi had been in Pakistani custody, but he was said to be in poor health. |
| At talks in Islamabad in November, officials from Afghanistan's High Peace Council had urged the release of Mullah Turabi, but the prisoners freed then were said to have been mid-level operatives, plus Anwar ul-Haq, a former militant commander in eastern Afghanistan. | |
| As the Afghan Taliban's justice minister, Mullah Turabi was one of the most prominent members of the regime before it was ousted in late 2001. | As the Afghan Taliban's justice minister, Mullah Turabi was one of the most prominent members of the regime before it was ousted in late 2001. |
| In Kabul he was renowned for sitting outside the ministry building, keeping watch on passing crowds to see that dress codes were adhered to. | In Kabul he was renowned for sitting outside the ministry building, keeping watch on passing crowds to see that dress codes were adhered to. |
| Mullah Turabi is from southern Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, as is Mullah Omar. The two men are said to be related by a family marriage. | Mullah Turabi is from southern Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, as is Mullah Omar. The two men are said to be related by a family marriage. |
| Afghan President Hamid Karzai established his 70-member High Peace Council more than two years ago to open negotiations with insurgents. | |
| However, the council has struggled to reduce mistrust between the militants and the government in Kabul. | |
| Although Afghanistan has in the past accused Pakistan of backing insurgents - allegations Pakistan strenuously denies - Afghan officials have recently suggested that they do believe Islamabad is genuine in its support of a peace process. | |
| Pakistan's powerful army chief, Gen Ashfaq Kayani, is said to back the peace dialogue amid concerns for regional stability in the wake of the departure of the Nato-led forces. | |
| However, border tensions remain and on Monday Afghan officials said a couple in eastern Kunar province had been killed by four rockets fired from the Pakistani side. |