Indefinite suspension: Pakistan stops release of Afghan Taliban prisoners

[Devil Soul]

ISLAMABAD:
The process of releasing Taliban prisoners currently in Pakistani custody has been suspended indefinitely due to renewed tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, The Express Tribune has learnt.

According to officials, talks between the two neighbours on the fate of the remaining Taliban detainees have come to a halt ever since Afghanistan accused Pakistan of sabotaging the fragile peace process.

“The focus at the moment is on de-escalating tensions. It has been a while since we last discussed the issue of Taliban releases,” said a senior Pakistani official familiar with the development. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, insisted that the delay was not on the part of Pakistan.

“It is Afghanistan which is reluctant to discuss the issue further,” he added.

The process of Taliban release started in November when Pakistan at the request of the Afghan High Peace Council freed more than a dozen detainees to help jump-start the reconciliation process.

Subsequently, Islamabad released more Taliban prisoners, including ailing former Afghan justice minister Nooruddin Turabi, former Helmand governor Abdul Bari, Allahdad Tabib and Azam Kakoo in December, bringing the total number to 26.

The move was initially hailed by the Karzai administration. But later it claimed that many of the freed Taliban rejoined the insurgent group instead of facilitating the peace process.

Kabul accused Islamabad of mishandling the issue. The two countries then agreed to establish a mechanism under which future releases would be coordinated. Under the new arrangement, senior foreign ministry officials from the two sides would coordinate and prepare a list of prisoners for their release.

The two sides agreed to operationalise the mechanism in February at the trilateral summit attended by leaders from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Britain in London. However, officials from the two countries have yet to hold a maiden session in the wake of strains in ties.

The latest tensions stem from Afghanistan’s allegations that Pakistan had laid down preconditions for supporting the reconciliation process.

The Afghan deputy foreign minister recently said that his country could pursue talks with the Taliban without Pakistan, which is considered crucial for any peace deal.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013.

 

[Secur]

Why did they ask for their release in the first place then ? If , they had two minds about negotiating with Taliban ?

 

[haviZsultan]

Personally if you ask me these Taliban prisoners should not be released. I know the agencies and they have surely tortured them for years in prison. When you release such a person he is bound to be hostile to Pakistan. They will not forget very easily. That is why I am more in favor of keeping Afghan Taliban leaders jailed in Pakistani prisons... or better just shoot them than release them into wild wild Afghanistan once again.

I can't find it now but there was an article about how released commanders of the Afghan Taliban had become hostile to Pakistan because of the torture we inflicted upon them in our prisons. The Taliban are a menace, dealing with them should not be an option unless absolutely necessary.

 

[Zarvan]

Personally if you ask me these Taliban prisoners should not be released. I know the agencies and they have surely tortured them for years in prison. When you release such a person he is bound to be hostile to Pakistan. They will not forget very easily. That is why I am more in favor of keeping Afghan Taliban leaders jailed in Pakistani prisons... or better just shoot them than release them into wild wild Afghanistan once again.

I can't find it now but there was an article about how released commanders of the Afghan Taliban had become hostile to Pakistan because of the torture we inflicted upon them in our prisons. The Taliban are a menace, dealing with them should not be an option unless absolutely necessary.

If you don't release them moment USA runs from Afghanistan and Taliban takeover that will be far worse time to release them so better release them and compensate them if possible other wise we will be in far worse situation

 

[tarrar]

Afghanistan will continue to cause problems for Pakistan, they are also sending in rented terrorists to harm Pakistan & Pakistan knows this very well. The problem here is I don't understand why these rented terrorists are arrested at first place & then worse than that they are handed over to Afghanistan who then later on send them back to Pakistan. These rented terrorists don’t deserve to live, they should not even be caught, just shoot them.

Pakistan policy against the terrorists should be only one NO NEGOTIATIONS, these rented terrorists have only objectives which is given to them by their masters which is to harm Pakistan in the name of Islam (Which is totally edited by the enemies of Pakistan). So far Pakistan policy towards the terrorists is flexible which allows these terrorists to breath.

No negotiation with the terrorists.