Swat Taliban chief Fazlullah alive, living with impunity in Pak, claims spokesman

PESHAWAR - Swat Taliban chief Mullah Fazlullah has long been eluding Pakistani security forces, who apparently have no idea about his whereabouts, however, the extremist leader’s spokesperson has claimed that he is alive and in Pakistan itself.

Late last year, reports said that Fazlullah has crossed over to Afghanistan. Pakistani officials also claimed that he was wounded and was unlikely to survive.

However, Fazlullah’s spokesperson Omar Hasan Ahrabi has claimed that the militant leader was never injured and is in fine health.

Ahrabi said though Fazlullah was currently in Pakistan, he could cross over to Afghanistan whenever he wishes.

“I am in touch with him through handwritten letters. He is in our ‘watan’ (our homeland) and is able to cross over to Afghanistan whenever he wishes,” The News quoted Ahrabi, as saying.

The spokesman said that a new video of Fazlullah would be released soon to put to rest all speculations about his health.

Fazlullah, who is said to be in his early 30s, is the most wanted Taliban leader in Swat with a bounty 50 million rupees on his head.

Fazlullah’s whereabouts have long been a matter of speculation, but it is believed that he has taken refuge tribal areas, such as Mohmand or Orakzai in the restive Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). (ANI)