Mullah Abdul Kabir, a member of the militia's ruling council, was picked up several days ago in Nowshera district in Pakistan's northwest, according to reports in The New York Times and Washington Post that cited unnamed Pakistani security officials.

Pakistani officials declined to confirm the reports to The Associated Press.

If confirmed, the arrest would be a further sign that Pakistan is turning away from its old strategy of allowing Afghan Taleban leaders safe haven in the country — something that could have far-reaching implications for the US-led war in Afghanistan.

Last week, Pakistani and American officials said the No. 2 Afghan Taleban leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, had been caught some 10 days earlier in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi.

Two other Taleban leaders — Mullah Abdul Salam of Kunduz province and Mullah Mohammad in Baghlan province — were arrested separately in Pakistan about 10 to 12 days ago, according to the Kunduz governor, Mohammad Omar.

The reports gave few details of Kabir's arrest, except that it happened recently.