ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: The government on Monday confirmed that former Taliban ambassador to Islamabad, Abdul Salam Zaeef, had requested political asylum in Pakistan.

“We have received an application from Mr Zaeef for asylum and we will process it,” a foreign ministry official told AFP.

He said the application would be processed before a final decision was taken.

“It has not been rejected, we will process it before taking any decision,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Mr Zaeef on Sunday told AFP he was seeking asylum in Pakistan but he did not elaborate.

Sources close to Zaeef said that, in his application, he had said “the situation in Afghanistan is not conducive” for his return.

“There is no more Taliban government and until the situation in Afghanistan returns to normal, I should be allowed to stay in Pakistan,” he wrote in his asylum plea, they said.

Zaeef, who has his home and family in Islamabad, said he was waiting for a response to his request.—AFP