Pakistans Foreign Ministry says the country has released seven top Afghan Taliban prisoners to help the peace process in neighboring Afghanistan.In order to further facilitate the Afghan reconciliation process, Pakistan is releasing seven Taliban detainees namely Mansoor Dadullah, Said Wali, Abdul Manan, Karim Agha, Sher Afzal, Gul Muhammad and Muhammad Zai, the ministry said in a Saturday statement.
The statement added that some 26 Taliban detainees were also released in 2012.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai travelled to Pakistan on August 26 for key talks with the new leaders of the country over peace negotiations with the Taliban.
Karzai met with Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in Islamabad as Afghanistan seeks to open up a direct channel of communication with Taliban militants to end more than 10 years of war.
The trip signaled a desire by both countries to overcome years of distrust and hostility and to foster stability.
The Afghan president said Kabul expected Pakistan to provide opportunities or a platform for talks between the Afghan High Peace Council -- Kabul's official negotiators -- and the Taliban.
Kabul has already called for the release of senior Taliban figures detained in Pakistan to encourage the group to come to the negotiating table.
The Taliban have so far refused to contact the Afghan government because they consider Karzai a US puppet.
By Press TV
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