Akhund was nabbed with four other suspects in a raid on a home in the southwestern city of Quetta on Monday, three intelligence officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to journalists.

The arrests came amid growing international pressure on Pakistan to crackdown on Taliban militants and coincided with a visit to Islamabad on Monday by Vice President Dick Cheney.

During his visit, Cheney had expressed concern to President Gen. Pervez Musharraf over al-Qaeda regrouping inside Pakistan's tribal regions and an expected Taliban spring offensive in neighbouring Afghanistan.

One of the intelligence officials said Akhund's arrest was a planned operation following a tip from US officials and was not linked to Cheney's visit. He said that seven more Taliban suspects had been arrested, also in Quetta, later in the week. He had no information about the identities of the other suspects.

Meanwhile, the Nato force in Afghanistan said Friday its soldiers and warplanes had killed 12 Taliban in a battle in the south while a "known terrorist" was arrested separately.

The battle was in Zabul province on Tuesday and kicked off when 30 militants attacked an International Security Assistance Force and Afghan patrol with gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades, Isaf said in a statement.

The military struck back with heavy-weapons fire and close air support, it said. An Isaf soldier was wounded. Most foreign soldiers in Zabul are US nationals.