Dubai: Pakistani officials remained tight-lipped yesterday with them neither confirming nor denying reports about the death of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mullah Fazlullah in air strikes in Afghanistan on Saturday.
“At present, we cannot give any comments on the reported killing of Mullah Fazlullah as we are still verifying facts,” a top official said.
Gulf News reported Sunday (December 20) that Mullah Fazlullah, who masterminded the massacre of 148 people, including schoolchildren, was reportedly killed in an air strike in a joint operation in Afghanistan on Saturday.
Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif, during his visit to Afghanistan, has shared intelligence details with Afghan officials that showed Fazlullah giving directives to terrorists from his hideout in Afghanistan.
Gen Sharif reiterated during a meeting with soldiers in Khyber agency: “We will continue to hit the terrorists wherever they are and operations will continue till we eliminate the last terrorist.”
Meanwhile, security has been stepped up at airports, schools, government buildings and even prisons following the execution of jailed militants, amid fears that Taliban could attack prisons to free militants due to be executed.
Pakistan Army has been waging a major offensive against the Taliban and other militant strongholds in the restive tribal area along the Pakistan-Afghan border for the last six months. The operation against the terrorists has been intensified since the Peshawar school massacre.
