Speculation of Prisoner Swap as ISI Chief Visits Kabul

The Office of Afghanistan’s National Security Council (ONSC) said on Monday that the Chief of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt General Faiz Hameed and the country’s Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood have held talks with Afghanistan’s National Security Adviser Hamdullah Mohib in Kabul.

Kabir Haqmal, Spokesman of the ONSC said, the two sides discussed on ways to normalize Kabul-Islamabad relations and formation of a technical committee to solve problems of Afghan Market in Peshawar.

Meanwhile, reports emerged that the Pakistani delegation will apologize to Afghan officials over the harassment of Afghanistan’s ambassador in Islamabad.

On November 4, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that personnel of Pakistan’s intelligence agency has mistreated Atif Mashal, the Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan.

Kabul described Pakistan’s action “in clear contradiction with diplomatic norms and principles” and vowed to investigate the issue.

In addition, there are speculations about the possible release of several Taliban leaders, including Anas Haqqani, a top member of Haqqani Network, in exchange for two foreign professors abducted in Afghanistan in 2016. But, there was no confirmation yet by any side.

Former Afghan Intelligence Chief Rahmatullah Nabil wrote on Twitter that he believes the main purpose of ISI chief visit is finalizing the deal on prisoners exchange that “may happen soon”.

According to Nabil, Anas Haqqani, the brother of Sirajuddin Haqqani who is the leader of Haqqani network and Deputy Leader of the Taliban insurgent group, Mali Khan Zadran, a brother of the Haqqani Network’s Founder, and Hafiz Rashid, the brother of Mullah Nabi Omari, a Guantanamo prisoner who was exchanged along other four men for captured U.S. soldier Bowe Bergdahl in 2014.