DHAKA: Pakistan on Saturday announced the release of seven senior Afghan Taliban figures to help the peace process in war-torn neighbour Afghanistan.

The Foreign Ministry said, reports The Strait stimes.

‘In order to further facilitate the Afghan reconciliation process, Pakistan is releasing seven Taliban detainees namely Mansoor Dadullah, Said Wali, Abdul Manan, Karim Agha, Sher Afzal, Gul Muhammad and Muhammad Zai,’ it said in a statement.

‘These releases are in addition to 26 Taleban detainees released during the last year,’ it added.

Afghan president Hamid Karzai was in Pakistan for two days last week and met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for the first time since Sharif’s election in May.

BDST: 1434 HRS, SEPT 07, 2013
RoR/BSK