Arrest of Afghan commander criticised

ISLAMABAD (NNI): A retired Pakistani General, Anwar Sher who claims to be working for peace and national reconciliation in Afghanistan has criticized the arrest of a commander of the former Afghan Mujahideen Abdul Qahir Shariati by Paksitan intelligence agency, reports BBC.

Lt: General (retd) Anwar Sher has said that the arrest of commader Abdul Qahir Shariati has been made by the Inter Services Intelligence, ISI without warrant at a time when he has not taken part in any kind of illegal activity in Pakistan.

In an interview with the BBC, he said that rulers in Pakistan and Afghanistan were shocked when a large number of Afghans visited Shariati and declared their support to the peace process launched by the newly formed National Islamic Peace Council of the Afghanistan nationalities.

He said that Shariat was organizer of the Council. The retired Pakistani General who termed himself as sympathizer of the Afghans said that he wanted to exert pressure on the Taliban and opposition Northern Alliance for ending bloodshed in Afghanistan and instead work for the reconstruction of their country.

General Anwar Sher rejected the notion that he is working for the Pakistan government or any other interested group and said that he neither supports the former Afghan monarch Zahir Shah nor any other group in Kabul which demands power. He also dismissed the reports that he has provided money and arms to the Afghans to support his initiative although the Pakistani General has created concern by supporting a group in Islamabad and Kabul which wants a change in Afghanistan.

Authorities in Pakistan have said that General Anwar Sher is working independently. Although a leader of the Taliban, Maulvi Abdul Qabeer has not given any importance to commander Shariats threat yet it is clear they are skeptical as to why a retired Pakistan General has been allowed to interfere in the affairs of Afghanistan.

Maulvi Qabeer who is governor of the eastern Afghan province of Nangarhar and senior officials in the eastern Afghanistan has said that Taliban have never allowed the Afghan territory to be used against anti-Pakistan activities and expect the same from Islamabad.

Though Taliban have said that Shariati is not prominent former commander of Laghman yet it seems the support he has mustered has worried and perturbed them. They have made arrests besides beefing up security arrangements. They have also held meeting with the national elders in areas bordering Pakistan and sought their support for keeping vigil on the anti-Taliban guerillas who have infiltrated into the border areas.