A Pakistani court gave three weeks to the federal government to submit a detailed reply on the status of 10 high-profile Afghan Taliban leaders who are in the custody of authorities.

The Lahore High Court had earlier stopped the federal government from handing over the militant leaders, including Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Muhammad Omar's deputy Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, to any foreign country. Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khwaja Muhammad Sharif adjourned the hearing till May 4 on the request of the deputy attorney general, who appeared on behalf of the defence ministry.

The court is

hearing a petition asking it to direct the authorities not to hand over the Taliban commanders to any other country. Besides Baradar, the arrested Afghan Taliban leaders include Mullah Abdul Salam, Maulvi Abdul Kabir, Mullah Mir Muhammad, Ameer Muawiyia, Syed Tayyab Agha and Hakeemuddin Mehsud.

The Washington Post has reported that the Inter-Services Intelligence had freed two of the arrested militant leaders but did not disclose their names.Baradar and the other important Taliban leaders were arrested from Karachi and other parts of Pakistan last month and they are being interrogated by intelligence agencies.