PESHAWAR, Jan 24: The government on Tuesday froze bank accounts of an Afghan trading group allegedly involved in funnelling funds to the Taliban.

The Federal Investigation Agency’s Special Investigation Group (SIG) froze 15 bank accounts of Shirkat Special and Amria Food in Peshawar and Islamabad on the request of Interpol, sources told Dawn.

The sources claimed that Taliban leader Mulla Omar had a share in both the companies.

They said the trading companies were apparently dealing in edible oil, sugar and other foodstuff and had a sizable amount in Pakistani bank accounts.

The SIG on Tuesday raided the offices of Shirkat Special at Mohmand Plaza on Naz Cinema Road in Peshawar and seized documents indicating the firm’s involvement in transferring money to the Taliban.

“The company’s owner Rais Abdul Bari and his family members, including Abdul Hadi, Abdul Baqi, Noor Mohammad, Mohammad Nabi and Abdul Nasih, of Kandahar, escaped before the raid,” the sources said.

However, the SIG arrested Kamran Sikandari, a customs clearing agent of the company, they said.

Interpol, Kabul, had informed the FIA about the companies run by the family.

According to Interpol, the companies were established during Taliban rule and they had reportedly done transactions of $2.8 million, 1.7 million euros and 1.5 million German mark during that period as well as President Hamid Karzai’s government in Afghanistan, the sources maintained.

The Afghan group had established offices in Dubai, Malaysia and Indonesia with different names.

The documents indicated that the group had also offices in Afghanistan with different names, including Hayat Limited and Kandahar Limited, the sources said.