ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has asked Afghanistan for extradition of Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, involved in terrorist activities and wanted to Pakistan, Dispatch News Desk (DND) reported on Thursday.
Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, a senior Pakistani Taliban commander, was arrested by Afghan security forces during a raid in Nangarhar province of Afghanistan on Monday.
Pakistan authorities have long demanded that Kabul take action against Pakistani insurgents who take refuge in areas of eastern Afghanistan just over the border. Kabul, in turn, says the insurgency in Afghanistan draws sustenance from sanctuaries in Pakistan.
In a weekly media briefing on Thursday Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Ahmed Khan, said that the Afghan Foreign Minister Zalmay Rassoul has confirmed capture of Maulvi Faqir Muhammad.
The spokesman expressed hope that Afghanistan would also capture all those engaged in anti-Pakistan activities and will hand them over to Islamabad.
To a question‚ Khan said Pakistan is supportive of efforts aimed at peaceful and stable Afghanistan. However‚ these efforts should be transparent and Afghan territory should not be used against Pakistan.
As regards the drone strikes‚ Khan said Pakistan considers there attacks as illegal and violation of country’s sovereignty. The Spokesman issue has been raised with the United States at all levels and hopefully it would be resolved bilaterally.
The Foreign Office spokesman said that despite US reservations, Pakistan was committed to the gas pipeline project with Iran as this was in the interest of the country, adding that it is purely a bilateral commercial and economic venture and no one should have any concerns about it.
To another question, he said that Pakistan had submitted a request to the UAE government for the deportation of former Chairman OGRA Tauqir Sadiq.
DND
