Taliban asked to extradite 23 Pakistanis wanted for violence: Minister

ISLAMABAD (NNI): Pakistan has handed over to Taliban authorities a list of 23 Pakistanis wanted for their involvement in terrorism and sectarian crimes, Interior Minister Lt. Gen. (R) Moinuddin Haider said Thursday.

"We have asked our ambassador in Kabul to be in touch with the Afghan authorities about the issue," Haider told a news conference in Islamabad.

Pakistan has, on various occasions, said that several Pakistanis have taken shelter in Afghanistan after committing crimes, particularly sectarian killings, in Pakistan. Pakistan also alleges that some such persons received training in Afghanistan.

However, Taliban have asked Pakistan to provide evidence to prove the involvement of Pakistanis in terrorist activities. Taliban also disputed with Pakistanís claim of presence of any training camps for Pakistanis.

Haider declined to disclose names of the wanted Pakistanis and said it would be harmful, as they will go in hiding if their names were disclosed.

The minister said he wanted to visit Afghanistan for talks with his Afghan counterpart Mulla Abdur Razaq, but he has gone to frontline.