Kabul hails UAE role in freeing Pakistanis

Afghanistan has expressed appreciation at the "constructive role" played by the UAE government in the release of a number of Pakistanis who had entered the country illegally during the Taleban rule.

A group of 87 Pakistani prisoners held in Afghanistan were released earlier this week and turned over to the Pakistani embassy in Kabul, sources told Gulf News.

The prisoners were the third batch to be set free by Afghan security agencies on humanitarian grounds, as part of the ongoing process of releasing foreign prisoners accused of illegal and subversive actions in Afghanistan.

Omar Samad, Afghan Foreign Ministry Spokesman, said Kabul appreciated the role played by the UAE in this regard and also by the International Committee of the Red Cross in solving the matter.

According to Samad, these people were caught "at different time intervals before and after September 11, fighting alongside the Taliban and other extremist groups."

An understanding was reached earlier this year between the governments of the Islamic State of Afghanistan and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on the gradual and conditional release of Pakistani citizens held in Afghan jails.

Samad said the plan is "to release as many of the prisoners not deemed a security threat or without terrorist links or not accused of great human rights violations or war crimes against Afghanistan".

The process of release of these individuals will continue and be applicable to those prisoners who are not accused of grave human rights violations or war crimes against Afghanistan, Samad explained.

Violations that include the killing of innocent Afghans, destruction of Afghan villages, land and cultural relics are considered "grave".

Samad added that the move reflects Afghanistan's "policy of good neighbourliness" vis-a-vis Pakistan.

The 87 prisoners were taken to Pakistan for further investigation.

"It is the Pakistani government's responsibility to ascertain the identity and past activities and links of these individuals," he said. "Most belong to radical pro-Taliban Pakistani parties."