By IRNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan has said there is no formal request received from Afghan authorities for handing over of senior Taliban leader Mullah Baradar to Afghanistan.
Abdbul Ghani Baradar, deputy to Mulla Omar, was arrested in Karachi earlier this month.
Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Zmarey Basharei said in Islamabad yesterday that Pakistan has agreed to hand over Mulla Baradar to Afghanistan.
Afghan Interior Minister Hanif Atmar visited Islamabad on Wednesday and reportedly handed over a list of some 42 Taliban leaders in the custody of Pakistan.
“Pakistan will make legal scrutiny and also investigate the criminal acts done by Mullah Baradar including his illegal entry into Pakistan,” an Interior Ministry statement said.
“The request of Afghan authorities will be examined according to the law and if Mullah Baradar has committed any crime inside Pakistan, he will be first tried in Pakistan,” it said.
Reports said that Pakistan has rejected a request from the U.S to hand over Mulla Baradar to the United States.
According to reports the FBI Director Robert Muellar made the request in a meeting with Pakistani intelligence officials on Wednesday.
Muller was in Islamabad for a tripartite meeting with the Afghan and Pakistan interior ministers.