(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Prominent Pakistani leader Malik Aslam Wazir, who had been spewing venom against India, has been killed by unknown assailants, media reports said. Malik was killed in an explosion that occurred at Daza Ghundai in South Waziristan Lower Tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The killing is yet another significant blow to the terror infrastructure in Pakistan. Local reports said that the bomb, which killed Malik, his younger son and another person, was planted on the roof-top of a shop.
Malik Aslam Noor Wazir, a recipient of a presidential award and a prominent figure with a strong anti-India stance, held significant influence within Pakistani terrorist networks, though his international recognition was limited.
Wazir's death comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions and increased insurgent activity in Pakistan. The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban, has intensified attacks, with the cessation of a monthlong ceasefire and the breakdown of peace talks in December contributing to the escalating situation.
The explosion that caused Wazir's death is part of a surge in violence sweeping across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. Earlier incidents, including blasts in North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Bajaur, resulted in eight fatalities, including two security personnel, and left several others seriously injured. This upswing in insurgent violence carries local and international implications, heightening concerns.
Days ago, Pakistani security forces eliminated four armed fighters, including a highly sought individual named 'Ibrahim,' near the northwestern border with Afghanistan. Notably, North Waziristan, once a safe haven for terrorists, was cleared by the Pakistani military after the 2014 attack on an army-run school in Peshawar that claimed over 150 lives, mostly schoolchildren.
Despite the military's declaration of success in clearing the region, sporadic attacks persist, raising apprehensions that the local Taliban, specifically Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), may have sought refuge in Afghanistan and is in the process of rebuilding there. The evolving situation underscores the complex and ongoing challenges faced by Pakistani security forces in maintaining stability and countering insurgent threats in the region.
The Pakistani Taliban are a separate group but allies of the Afghan Taliban, which seized power in Afghanistan in 2021 as the US and NATO troops were in the final stages of their pullout after 20 years of war.
More details awaited
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