Pakistan to free Afghan Taliban chief Goodwill gesture: Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's adviser on foreign affairs, Sartaj Ajziz, explains the move to release Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Pakistani authorities will release the Afghan Taliban's former deputy leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, to help reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan, the foreign ministry said. Baradar, one of the founding members of the Taliban, has been in Pakistani custody since his arrest in a joint Pakistani and US intelligence raid in Karachi in 2010. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced his impending release in a brief statement on Friday. The statement said Baradar was to be set free on Saturday but did not give further details. The decision to release him came after Afghan President Hamid Karzai urged Islamabad, during his official visit last month, to help set up talks with rebels allegedly based in Pakistan. Pakistani officials portrayed the move as a goodwill gesture that would help bring the Taliban and Afghanistan to the negotiating table as the US prepares to withdraw from Afghanistan next year. "The timing is quite significant," said Mushahid Hussain Sayed, chairman of the defence committee in the Pakistani Senate, "as he is an important, credible figure who has the potential to have outreach to the Taliban leaders." Mr Sayed, who led a Pakistani delegation this month to Kabul, said, "There was a positive response on this from the Kabul regime, which seems to have high hopes and greater confidence in the new Pakistani government's ability to deliver on Afghan-related issues." The foreign ministry was vague as to whether Baradar would be handed over to Afghan authorities or might be sent to another country to revive stalled negotiations. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said this week that Baradar might be sent to either Turkey or Saudi Arabia. There are reports that talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban might take place in one of the two countries. Pakistan has been steadily releasing Taliban prisoners, most recently during the first week of this month, when seven were freed. Baradar is the most senior of 34 Afghan Taliban detainees Islamabad had released so far. The release of Baradar is seen as crucial to initiating the peace talks. Islamabad said its decision to set free Afghan Taliban officials was aimed at boosting international efforts to end the 12-year conflict. But there are doubts whether the move can achieve the desired goal. A member of Afghan High Peace Council, a body Mr Karzai set up to spearhead dialogue with the militant group, said Pakistan's release of Taliban leaders has had no impact. Diplomatic and intelligence sources said Baradar may not have the same influence within the militia as before his arrest. This is how it happens in insurgencies. Once you are arrested, your loyalty is in doubt," a Pakistani diplomat said. This may be true about Baradar. A spokesman for the Taliban had already announced that those who were in custody would not have any role in negotiations. New York Times, DPA