Kabul/ISLAMABAD - The Taliban’s deputy leader and co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrived in Kandahar Tuesday, landing in the insurgent group’s former capital just days after they took control of the country.
A Taliban spokesman said on Twitter that Baradar and a high level delegation “reached their beloved country in the afternoon” from Qatar.
Pakistan consulted Taliban Deputy Political Chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar before his departure to Kandahar where he arrived after 20 years.
Highly credible sources told The Nation that Pakistan’s special representative for Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq contacted Mullah Baradar on phone and discussed with him the latest situation in Afghanistan including the formation of new government.
The sources said Pakistan extended an invitation to Mullah Baradar to visit Pakistan, which he accepted.
However, the sources said dates of his visit are being worked out in consultations with the Taliban leadership. Mullah Baradar assured that he would visit Pakistan as Islamabad played a vital role in making peace and political progress in Afghanistan towards a great success.
Mullah Baradar, according to the sources, assured Sadiq that the Afghan soil would not be allowed to be used against Pakistan. “Taliban would act against terrorists and their safe heavens in Afghanistan”, Mullah Baradar was quoted as saying by a source.