Army working to rearrest former TTP leader Ehsanullah Ehsan: DG ISPR

The director-general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Babar Iftikhar on Wednesday said that the escape of former TTP spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan from custody was a "grave matter," adding that the Army is trying to rearrest him.

Speaking to international media outlets, the DG ISPR said that the military took prompt action against officers responsible for Ehsan's escape.

"At the moment, we don't know about Ehsanullah Ehsan's whereabouts," Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said, adding that the TTP leader's Twitter account, which was recently used to issue threats to Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, turned out to be fake.

The DG ISPR also shed light on the matter of missing persons and said that the committee formed to investigate the matter has shown great strides.

"Out of more than 6,000 cases received by the commission, 4,000 cases have been resolved, while the remaining cases will also be resolved soon," said the DG ISPR.

Answering a question about the murder of ten Hazara colliers in Machh, Balochistan back in January 2021, Maj Gen Babar said that some “important arrests have been made in connection to the killings."

He, however, refused to provide further details.

Maj Gen Iftikhar also touched upon the recent attack on the car of a non-governmental organisation in North Waziristan which led to the death of four female social workers.

He said that terrorists are retaliating to the operation the Army is carrying out in North Waziristan, adding that the attack on the women's car was also a part of the retaliation tactics [used by militants].

"At present, there are no organised [terrorist] groups in Waziristan, the Army's spokesperson said, adding that some "small groups from the region are resorting to petty terrorist activities there."

"These petty extremists will be eliminated from Waziristan soon, the DG ISPR said.

Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar said that terrorists in Pakistan operate with the assistance of groups in Afghanistan and said that India is involved in supplying arms, money, and new technology to the terrorists [to create unrest in Pakistan and disturb regional stability].

"It won't be a stretch to say that the Afghan intelligence is well aware of such developments," he said. "Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan at all costs and to that end, it has taken all possible measures."

The DG ISPR added that Pakistan used its power and influence on the Taliban as much as possible.

"We must make sure a void is not left in Afghanistan, as the country is not living in the 1990s anymore and its state structure cannot collapse like the past," he said.

"It is not possible for Kabul to be recaptured by the Taliban and Pakistan will be there to support this cause," the DG ISPR concluded.