Thursday, August 18 2005 16:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Islamabad: Pakistani authorities have arrested Muhammad Yasir, a senior Taliban leader and close aide of Taliban Chief Mullah Omar. "Yasir was a wanted person in Pakistan," said Aftab Khan Sherpao, Interior Minister He later added that the militia leader was being interrogated.

The Taliban had appointed Yasir as head of the Taliban Information and Culture wing several months ago. Yasir was associated with Afghan jihadi leader Abdurrab Rasool Sayyaf's Ittehad-e-Islami, but joined the militia after Sayyaf announced support for Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

However, it is doubtful that the Taliban leader would be handed over to the US. "It is premature to comment on it and I can't say anymore", said the interior minister. Meanwhile, two Pakistani doctors, who were deported from the US, have reached the country. "Yes, the US government has deported them. They have reached Pakistan on Wednesday morning," Sherpao said.

US authorities for suspected links with terrorist organisations, official sources said, had detained Dr Adil and his son Dr Hassan Adil but both were later cleared. The Interior Minister said the doctors, who were running a seminary in California, were now in the custody of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

"This is purely a case of voluntary repatriation. Their visas expired in 2004. They had applied for an extension, but their request was not entertained by the US authorities," he said.