Afghan Taliban founder Mullah Baradar 'released' by Pakistan

Baradar is one of four men, including Mullah Omar, who founded the Taliban movement in 1994 [Screenshot Al Jazeera

Paki

Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, also known as Mullah Baradar, is a co-founder of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan. He was arrested by Pakistani authorities in the southern port city of Karachi in 2010. Pakistan  has released the Afghan Taliban leader from prison, a spokesman for the Taliban announced on Thursday.

On Tuesday, local English daily The News reported that Pakistani authorities released Baradar on the solicitation of the government of Qatar, where the political office of Taliban is based.

Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani visited Islamabad last Friday and held meetings with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.

Two unnamed Pakistani intelligence officials also confirmed that Mullah Baradar was freed "after high-level negotiation," AP reported.

The development came after Taliban confirmed that they had held talks with US Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Doha, the capital of Qatar.

"This release has come at a time when the United States has started directly talking to Taliban, it seems the timing [for this release] is really important," Zahin Hussain, an analyst based in Pakistan, told Al Jazeera.

Taliban set up a political office in Doha in 2013 At The Request of United States to facilitate peace talks.

Baradar is one of four men, including Mullah Omar, who founded the Taliban movement in 1994. He served in several key positions when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan from 1996-2001.

He fled to Pakistan after the US-led invasion toppled the Taliban government and was later arrested during an operation near Karachi city.