Islamabad: Taliban leader and former spokesperson of the banned terrorist outfit Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Ehsanullah Ehsan has allegedly threatened Pakistan’s Nobel laureate for Peace Malala Yousafzai warning her this time ‘there would be no mistake.’
This is the first time since his escape from the authorities’ custody last year that such an alarming statement has come from the Taliban leader.
Malala Yousafzai the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize winner has posted a tweet on her official handle that says: “This is the ex-spokesperson of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan who claims responsibility for the attack on me and many innocent people.”
Badly wounded
The same TTP had in 2012 attempted to assassinate Malala. Though badly wounded, she survived the attack then but underwent several operations in the UK, where she currently lives.
In the same tweet, Malala asks the Pakistani authorities how the man now threatening people on social media managed to escape from their custody.
While taking prompt notice of Malala’s tweet, the Pakistan government clarified the threats hurled at her were generated from a fake account.
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s focal person on digital media, Arslan Khalid took to social media and said the Twitter account allegedly run by the TTP militant was fake.
He added that Twitter and authorities had been notified “as such miscreants using fake accounts and spreading hate shouldn’t be allowed on any social media platform”. There is zero tolerance for extremism in Pakistan,” he further assured Malala.
Adviser to Prime Minister Raoof Hasan has also clarified the government was investigating the threat and had immediately asked Twitter to shut down the menacing account.
After Malala’s tweet and the matter taken up by the Pakistan authorities, Twitter has permanently suspended the account.
Ehsan was known for issuing chilling claims and threats of carrying out attacks, and was linked to some of the country’s deadliest attacks.
These include the targeting of Malala in 2012 and the bombing at a park in Lahore during Easter 2016.
Given airtime
He surrendered to authorities in 2017 and later gave interviews to a Pakistani TV channel, leading to criticism and controversy that a terrorist was given airtime.
It angered many in the country who said a saboteur was being pampered by the authorities.
Ehsan mysteriously escaped from Pakistan’s custody in February 2020.
In August 2020, Pakistani military spokesperson confirmed to the media that Ehsan escaped from their custody during an operation.
