ISLAMABAD, July 4: The government is facing difficulties in securing the release of hundreds of Pakistanis held by commanders in Afghanistan, an official source told Dawn.

The writ of the Kabul government is not accepted in entire Afghanistan as there are still many warlords and commanders who are actually ruling their areas, said an official involved in talks with the interim government of President Hamid Karzai.

“We have yet to ascertain the exact number of Pakistanis languishing in different private jails in Afghanistan,” the source said.

Islamabad has secured the release of some 300 Pakistanis who were arrested by the forces of the Northern Alliance during the US-led operations against the then Taliban regime.

Most of these Pakistanis have already reached Peshawar and will be set free after interrogation, the source said.

Abdur Rashid Dostum has been cooperative but other warlords want money in return for releasing the Pakistanis, a source said.

The issue was raised by Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider during President Karzai’s last visit to Islamabad.

Mr Karzai had publicly admitted that some commanders had been demanding huge sums of money in exchange for the release of Pakistanis.

The 30 Pakistanis recently shifted surreptitiously to India might have been sold by the Afghan commanders to Indian intelligence agents active in Afghanistan, the source said.