DUBAI: A former deputy minister of the regime of Taliban has been detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Reports suggest that Abdul Rahman Zahid, the deputy foreign minister of Taliban regime, was arrested after landing at Dubai International Airport last month.

According to reports, Zahid was not directly involved in the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan but had contacts with the group’s political office in Qatar and some other Taliban commanders in Pakistan.

The UAE government has said that Zahid, who also had international links, might have held meetings without prior permission.

An official has told Pajhwok news agency on the condition of anonymity Zahid had increased interaction with the Afghan government and his arrest might be a joint effort of the spy networks of the UAE and Pakistan.

Neither Taliban nor Afghan government has commented on the report.

But Motasim Agha Jan who was a high-ranking official of the Taliban was also anonymously arrested in UAE while he was supporting a peace deal between Taliban and Afghan government. He was later set free.