Outgoing US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C Crocker has said that Washington has no warrant to demand the extradition of former Taliban defence minister Mullah Obaidullah Akhund, who was reportedly arrested from Quetta on February 26. “We have no (arrest) warrant against him,” the ambassador – who has been confirmed as the new envoy to Iraq – told Daily Times at a reception at US Consulate Principal Officer Lynne Tracy’s residence on Tuesday. Islamabad has not officially confirmed or denied media reports yet that Pakistani security forces have captured the deputy to the elusive Taliban chief Mullah Omar. Crocker also distanced himself from confirming the report, saying the arrest had not been notified officially yet, but both Pakistan and the US “are in contact” on a regular basis.
“There is strong conviction among authorities that he has been arrested, and that is what we hear from sources,” he added. He said the arrested Taliban leader might be tried in a country where he had committed crimes – indicating that Obaidullah could be extradited to Afghanistan. |