What Mullah Baradar’s passport says about Taliban ties with Pakistan

New Delhi, Sep 11: Pakistan on Friday categorically denied links to the Taliban and rejected media reports that it had helped the group take control of the Panjshir Valley. While Islamabad denies any meddling in the affairs of Afghanistan, a year ago, much before the Taliban had taken control over the country, Twitter was abuzz with details of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar's passport.

Baradar who is today number two in the Afghanistan government holds a Pakistan passport. He holds a Pakistani passport with different identification details. The passport which was circulated on Twitter identifies Baradar as Muhammad Arif and a Pakistani national. Aurang Khan Zalmay, a Twitter user pointed out in 2020 that Baradar, head of the Taliban's political office in Qatar holds Pakistani nationality and travels with a Pakistani passport on the condition of anonymity. The government of Pakistan has issued Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar an identity card (NIC) and a passport by an alias of Muhammad Arif Agha S/O Syed Muhammad Nazeer Agha, Zalmay also pointed out.

Baradar along with Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai was heading the negotiations at Doha. He used to reside in Quetta, Pakistan and was provided heavy security by Pakistan. Officials tell OneIndia that it was always clear that the Taliban had the backing of Pakistan.

On June 26 2020, Twitter user Arif Aajakia had posted, " Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of the Taliban political office Qatar holds a Pakistan passport with different ID details. Any doubt abut Banana Republic. Does not FATF know this. Thousands of proofs that Pakistan patronises terrorism. PM (Pak) calls Osama bin Laden a martyr."

It was clear to India that the Taliban leadership was being groomed and protected by Pakistan for long.

This became even more evident when IC-814 which was hijacked by ISI backed terrorists was directed to land at Kandahar, officials said.

Even after the Taliban took over Kabul in August, it was ISI chief Gen Faiz Hameed who rushed to Afghanistan to oversee the formation of the government. Pakistan also provided logistic and military support to the Taliban when it fought the Northern Alliance. Pakistan dropped bombs on the Panjshir Valley, which eventually led to the Taliban takeover.