Pak likely to offer ‘deal’ to Karzai over Baradar’s extradition during his Islamabad visit

ISLAMABAD - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is likely to officially ask Islamabad to hand over Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Afghan Taliban’s second-in command, to Kabul during his scheduled two-day visit to Pakistan starting Wednesday.

According to sources, Karzai would explore the possibilities of Baradar’s extradition in an attempt to boost his sinking popularity over the war against Taliban, which many consider a lost cause.

It may be noted that the United States had also asked Pakistan to hand over Barader to it, which was denied.

Malik had rejected the White House’ request to hand over Baradar, who is considered second only to Taliban’s supreme commander Mullah Omar, saying Pakistani agencies would first investigate his links with the banned terrorist network, and could hand him over to Afghanistan if the need arises but not to the US.

During a meeting with his Afghan counterpart Muhammad Hanif Atmar last month, Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik had said that his country would ‘consider’ any formal request by Afghanistan over Barader’s extradition.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) had earlier restricted the Pakistan government from extraditing Baradar, who was nabbed from Karachi, and four other Taliban commanders to any other foreign country.

Baradar is one of the 42 people, including other top Taliban commanders, Afghanistan wants Pakistan to extradite.

Insiders also said that Pakistan could strike a deal by asking Afghanistan to help bring back the Al-Qaeda terror suspect Dr Aafia Siddiqui, who was handed over to the US by Afghanistan for trial.

Siddiqui, who has been charged of firing at US officials in Afghanistan, is currently languishing in a US jail. (ANI)