The Pakistani government says it’s arrested a former Taliban defense minister and key insurgent leader. The man, Mullah Obaidullah, would be the most senior Taliban member to be captured since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. The arrest comes amid new tensions over the Bush administration’s call on Pakistan to crack down on al-Qaeda fighters. On Thursday, Pakistan’s U.S. ambassador, Mahmud Ali Durrani, was asked if increasing pressure and threatened aid cuts could bring down Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf.

Pakistan Ambassador Mahmud Ali Durrani: “I don’t know; possibly, it could bring him down. It could destabilize the whole country. It could cause mega-problems there. That is possible.”