Taliban deny arrest of Mulla Omar in Pakistan

KANDAHAR (AIP): Taliban on Tuesday rejected reports suggesting that Taliban’s chief Mulla Muhammad Omar Mujahid was detained by Pakistani security forces in Karachi last March. Talking to Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) over phone from an undisclosed location, purported spokesman of Taliban, Qari Muhammad Yousaf Ahmadi, said the United States and their allies wanted to create unrest among the Muslims of the world and “hurt their hearts” with such reports.

“Reports of the arrest of Amirul Moemineen, Mulla Muhammad Omar Mujahid, are totally false and a propaganda. The United States want to hide their defeat in Afghanistan and create tension in the Muslim world,” he stated. He said: “Mulla Muhammad Omar Mujahid is safe and sound and leading Mujahideen in Afghanistan.” “It is regretted that some media outlets are used for the interest of United States as sometime it says that Sirajuddin Haqqani has met Karzai while on the other time it says that Taliban have started secret talks with government.” The Taliban spokesman said, “It is the habit of infidel media that it does not exercise freedom and work for infidelity. We once again urge media to publish facts.” When asked how much Taliban were satisfied that their supreme commander has not been detained by Pakistanis security forces, Qari Muhammad Yousaf Ahmadi replied, “We are fully satisfied that Amirul Moemineen is free and leading the Mujahideen. If these report are true, then why the US hide it for three months.” US media reported on Monday that Pakistani security forces captured Taliban chief Mulla Muhammad Omar on March 27 in Karachi where his deputy, Mulla Baradar was also detained in the month of February this year. Both Pakistan and US governments are tight lipped over the issue. An observer told AIP that if reports of the arrest of Mulla Omar are true, then it would not weaken the Taliban resistance, but would further strengthen it as the casualties of foreign forces in June were the highest as compared to any month since US invaded Afghanistan in late 2001. The death toll of foreign forces in the first six months of the current year has also increased 100 percent, compared to same period of last year.