KABUL, June 10: The former head of the Taliban regime's radio station and spokesman for its leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar, met the media on Sunday after surrendering to the Afghan government under an amnesty scheme.

Mullah Mohammad Is'haq Nizami, who returned to Afghanistan this week from Pakistan, told reporters, “It's a matter of pride for me to be back in my country.” Nizami, however, refused to answer any questions, saying: “I'm not ready.” He headed and ran the Taliban government's Shariat Shagh (Voice of Sharia) radio station before the US-led invasion that toppled the Taliban regime.

The radio station broadcast religious texts and news, with music banned by the conservative government. Nizami had been in Pakistan running an underground magazine called Sirek (Shine) for the Taliban, who are now waging an insurgency against the US-backed administration of President Hamid Karzai, a government spokesman said.

“He's an important person because he was Mullah Omar's spokesman and currently was actively running a paper for the Taliban and against the government,” Lutfullah Mashal said.

Nizami surrendered as part of a government reconciliation programme that gives Taliban amnesty and some financial support if they side with the new government.—AFP