ISLAMABAD, Jan. 15 -- Ahead of a visit to Pakistan by US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, Pakistan has arrested a senior member of the Afghan Taliban in a bid to put pressure on the militant group for talks, local media reported on Tuesday.
Hafez Mohibullah, who served as Religious Affairs Minister when the Taliban ruled Afghanistan until 2001, was held in Peshawar, the BBC reported. Kabul and Washington have long been calling on Islamabad to deny the Taliban shelter on its soil. Pakistan denies backing the militants.
Khalilzad had earlier held a series of meetings with the Taliban's political office in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Washington wants Islamabad to encourage the militants to r...