The Pakistan government released a high-ranking Afghan Taliban official, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, from prison on Saturday in an effort to begin peace talks, USA TODAY reported.
Barader, the Taliban's former deputy leader, was arrested in 2010 during a joint U.S.-Pakistani raid. Ever since his imprisonment, Afghanistan has been calling for his release.
Intelligence and security officials in Pakistan confirmed that Baradar left the prison on Saturday but did not comment further as they were not authorized to speak to the press.
The release of the former Taliban leader was announced earlier this year by Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, who allegedly made the decision to "further facilitate the Afghan reconciliation process."
Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar, a member of an Afghan government council created to negotiate with the Taliban, praised Baradar's release and said "we are very much hopeful that Mullah Baradar can play an important role in the peace process."
Wakil Ahmad Muttawakil, the former foreign minister of the Taliban during their rule of Afghanistan, also expressed praise for Baradar's release. He also warned the government against regulating his life outside of jail.
"They also have to allow him contact with Taliban leaders and for him to be useful for peace in Afghanistan," Muttawakil added.
Baradar was born in Uruzgan, Afghanistan and fought in the war to push out Soviet troops in Afghanistan in the 1980s. As the Taliban rose to power in 1995, his friendship with leader Mullah Omar led him to his position as deputy defense minister.
It is believed when the Taliban government was invaded by the U.S. in 2001 that officials fled to neighboring Pakistan. Baradar was reportedly a close associate of former Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden leading up to the terrorist attacks.
He is one of 33 Taliban officials released from Pakistani prisons this year in hopes of effective peace talks. There is no evidence that releasing the prisoners have had a positive influence on the peace negotiations, and some former prisoners are believed to have returned to the battlefield.
As the decline in international troops next year looms closer, Pakistan has repeatedly worked towards a peace settlement with Afghanistan to avoid issues with domestic Taliban militants.
