PESHAWAR, Nov 24: A key Northern Alliance leader arrived here on Saturday for talks with Pakistani officials in what appears to be the first direct contact between the two sides.

The Governor of Nangarhar, Haji Muhammad Qadeer, drove into via the checkpoint of Torkham in the afternoon.

He stayed at his Peshawar residence for a few hours before leaving for Islamabad, his family and government officials confirmed.

Haji Qadeer held the same post before the Taliban drove him out in 1996. He had left for Germany from Peshawar soon afterwards only to return to Panjsher to join hands with the Northern Alliance.

Haji Qadeer entered Jalalabad from Panjsher, the day after the Taliban abandoned Nangarhar early this month.

Official sources said that Haji Qadeer’s visit would help mend fences by Pakistan and the Northern Alliance. They acknowledged that communication had been established with the Northern Alliance through informal channels.