ISLAMABAD – Top Taliban leader Mullah Baradar who now leads the peaceefforts with the US, was released by Pakistan at the behest of the TrumpAdministration, an US envoy said.

The special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, told a Washingtonaudience that Pakistan had a very crucial role to play in thereconciliation process with the Taliban.

But there is “a positive change” in Pakistan’s attitude in recent times, hesaid when asked about the role of Islamabad in his ongoing efforts to bringpeace in this war-ravaged country.

“The release of Mullah Baradar, which was my request… they (Pakistan)accommodated that because Mullah Baradar has the reputation of being moreopen, more pro-peace,” said the top American envoy who is leading the TrumpAdministration’s efforts to have peace talks with the Taliban.

Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai and his successor PresidentAshraf Ghani have said that Baradar can play a pivotal role in the peaceprocess and that he has tried to facilitate talks between the Taliban andthe US, Khalilzad said.

Pakistan, he said, favours inter-Afghan dialogue including between theTaliban and the government.

So, the release of Baradar is a very positive thing, he said.

“We always would like Pakistan, like other countries to do more, but weappreciate what they have done so far and I have indicated and Secretary(of State), (Mike) Pompeo and the president that we want to have goodrelations with Pakistan, better relations with Pakistan,” he said inresponse to a question.

“What they (Pakistan) do on Afghanistan to facilitate peace andreconciliation, which has been a burden on the relationship, that will beremoved,” he added.

“Pakistan is an important country with which we want to have betterrelations,” he said.

“The role that Pakistan has played in terms of its relationship with theTaliban and the Haqqani network has been a burden on this (US-Pak)relationship. They say they want peace. We welcome that. We want them to,to play a positive role,” said the US diplomat who has had several roundsof talks with the the Taliban in Doha.

“Most of the meetings we have had with the Taliban have not been inPakistan. It has been in other countries. I think the message that I havehere is a peace in Afghanistan will help our relations with Pakistan,” headded.

“Peace in Afghanistan will help Afghan-Pakistan relations… regionalconnectivity. Pakistan will be a beneficiary of that. Let’s seize thisopportunity, this moment for the region for Afghanistan, especially for theobviously long suffering people of Afghanistan,” Khalilzad said.