Pakistan confirms Taliban leaders arrests

Pakistan has confirmed the arrest of more Taliban leaders. It follows the capture earlier this week, of the group's overall second in command.

Pakistan says it will not handover the detainees to the United States, but may instead deport them to Afghanistan.

Interior Minister Rahman Malik says Pakistani authorities are still questioning Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the most senior Taliban figure captured since the start of the Afghan war.

If prisoners are found not to have committed crimes in Pakistan, they will not remain in the country. Pakistani authorities working with the CIA arrested Baradar about two weeks ago in Karachi.

Pakistani policemen stand guard at a security checkpoint in Karachi on February 16. (AFP/File/Asif Hassan)