On February 17th Mindset Central reported that all was not as it seemed with the arrest of Taliban Deputy Leader, Mullah Adbul Ghani Baradar. Whilst Pakistani media outlets were silent on the arrest (think propaganda coup and Rudolf Hess in WW2), the USA were trumpeting the news that the high ranking Talibani had been arrested following a CIA led intelligence op.
It subsequently appeared that he was detained following a rounding up exercise or operational sweep ( think The Usual Suspects) by Pakistan Security, with statements later released that there had been a delay in announcing Mullah Abdul’s arrest so that his identity could be verified. It now appears that reasons for the delay may be somewhat more convoluted.
Recent murmurings from unnamed sources point to Baradar as key to the peace initiative involving officials on behalf of the Saudi Royal Family, former Arabic mujaheddin fighters, a top UN official, a retired senior British officer and the Afghanis under President Karzai. Baradar was an important part of the talks with sources claiming that he was the Taliban representative at peace talks.
The arrest has been described by sources as a ‘let down ‘ and ‘a huge blow’ to peace. It is claimed that the Taliban are growing tired of fighting. And that talks – possibly involving Baradar – were ongoing as far back as 2008. Afghanistan expert Bette Dam states in her book that the Mullah was on the telephone regularly with President Karzai.
Petty jealousies between the Secret Service Agencies is now being cited as a reason for Baradar’s arrest in the first place, with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) annoyed that they were being bypassed in negotiations.
The situation begs a number of questions. Are there elements within the ‘coalition’ who are opposed to peace and wish the conflict to continue - simply because they are not involved in the peace process? On 12th March , an unnamed Pakistan Counterinsurgency Official stated that Baradar was ‘singing like a male canary.’ Is this statement released in order to render Baradar useless in any future talks? Has this player been taken out of the game? What purpose is there to release such a statement apart from to destroy the credibility of the Taliban Military Commander? So how seriously should we take this announcement?
Full Report HERE
16. March 2010 at 2:11 am
Aide: Karzai ‘very angry’ at Taliban boss’ arrest
By DEB RIECHMANN and KATHY GANNON
16 March 2010
The Afghan government was holding secret talks with the Taliban’s No. 2 when he was captured in Pakistan, and the arrest infuriated President Hamid Karzai, according to one of Karzai’s advisers.
The detention of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — second in the Taliban only to one-eyed Mullah Mohammed Omar — has raised new questions about whether the U.S. is willing to back peace discussions.
Karzai “was very angry” when he heard that the Pakistanis had picked up Baradar with an assist from U.S. intelligence, the adviser said. Besides the ongoing talks, he said Baradar had “given a green light” to participating in a three-day peace jirga that Karzai is hosting next month.
Officials have disclosed little about how Baradar was nabbed last month in the port city of Karachi. The Pakistanis were said to be upset that the Americans were the source of news reports about his arrest.
Karzai won’t discuss his administration’s talks with Taliban members or their representatives, but several Afghan officials confirmed that his government was in discussions with Baradar, who hails from Karzai’s Popalzai tribe of the Durrani Pashtuns in Kandahar.
What actually precipitated Baradar’s arrest remains a mystery.
Some analysts claim Pakistan wanted to interrupt Karzai’s reconciliation efforts or force Karzai to give Islamabad a seat at a future negotiating table.
Another theory is that Baradar, deemed more pragmatic than other top Taliban leaders, was detained to split him from fellow insurgents. McChrystal said recently that it was plausible that Baradar’s arrest followed an internal feud and purge among Taliban leaders.
There’s also speculation that Baradar’s arrest was just lucky — even unintentional.
17. March 2010 at 10:10 am
Baradar would be deported to Afghanistan: Pak Defence Minister
2010-03-17 13:30:00
Despite the Lahore High Court order preventing his extradition, Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has said Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban’s second-in command, would be handed over to Afghanistan after a case is registered against him in Pakistan.
Talking to media persons here, Mukhtar said Barader’s extradition would not hamper the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
“Baradar is offender as he had entered into the country without passport, and we have to to register a case against him first,” The Nation quoted Mukhtar, as saying.
Replying to a question regarding India’s alleged involvement in the wide spread violence in Pakistan, he said Islamabad would not issue any statement in this regard unless it has evidence.
Mukhtar said Pakistani forces have the ability to stop aggression from both the eastern and western borders, and added that some troops have been shifted from the eastern border to the more hostile western border along Afghanistan. (ANI)