ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's Foreign Ministry has confirmed the arrest of a former Taliban commander by Afghan security forces.
A ministry spokesman said on February 21 that Pakistan hopes Afghan authorities will hand over Maulvi Faqir Muhammad to Islamabad.
Faqir Muhammad once served as a deputy leader and regional commander of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
He was reportedly captured during a raid in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar Province earlier this week.
Faqir Muhammad fell out with the Taliban leadership in 2011 after telling Pakistani media the TTP were holding peace talks with the government.
The TTP denied that and replaced him with another commander, Mullah Dadullah.
Dadullah was killed in a NATO air strike in Afghanistan in August 2012.
Faqir Muhammad reconciled with the TTP in late 2012, but he was not reinstated to his former posts.
A ministry spokesman said on February 21 that Pakistan hopes Afghan authorities will hand over Maulvi Faqir Muhammad to Islamabad.
Faqir Muhammad once served as a deputy leader and regional commander of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
He was reportedly captured during a raid in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar Province earlier this week.
Faqir Muhammad fell out with the Taliban leadership in 2011 after telling Pakistani media the TTP were holding peace talks with the government.
The TTP denied that and replaced him with another commander, Mullah Dadullah.
Dadullah was killed in a NATO air strike in Afghanistan in August 2012.
Faqir Muhammad reconciled with the TTP in late 2012, but he was not reinstated to his former posts.
