Taliban wants to swap Pak chopper crew for Mullah Baradar

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The Afghan Taliban, who have captured all passengers and crew following the crash-landing of a Pakistani government helicopter in Afghanistan, have demanded release of arrested commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar. Taliban commander Mullah Najibullah has taken the helicopter crew hostage and sources said that the Afghan Taliban group holding crew of Pak chopper wants to swap them for Mullah Baradar who was arrested by Pakistan in 2010. Mullah Baradar is one of the key figures in Taliban who was responsible for its inception. Afghan Taliban have repeatedly demanded the release of Mullah Baradar's for participation in the peace process. As many as seven passengers were on board, six of them Pakistanis and one a Russian technician. The pilot was Pakistani. The chopper had permission to fly over Afghan air space on its way to Uzbekistan. Earlier, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sharif spoke with top US commander General John Nicholson asking for the international military coalition's help in recovering the Pakistani personnel.