‘Mastermind’ of militant attacks among five killed in North Waziristan

Published September 8, 2020
“Zakeria was mastermind of 30 attacks since 2019 and wanted by law enforcers,” said the  ISPR statement.  — ISPR/File
“Zakeria was mastermind of 30 attacks since 2019 and wanted by law enforcers,” said the ISPR statement. — ISPR/File

PESHAWAR: The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday confirmed that a mastermind of militant attacks along with four accomplices had been killed during an intelligence operation in North Waziristan tribal district on Sunday.

The ISPR said in a statement that 10 notorious terrorists were also arrested during the operation near Mirali. It said the deceased terrorist, Waseem Zakeria, was the mastermind of 30 attacks, including targeted killing of government officials and security forces personnel.

The ISPR said Zakeria was also involved in an attack on a military convoy near Hasokhel. He belonged to the Haider Khel area of Mirali sub-division. “Zakeria was mastermind of 30 attacks since 2019 and wanted by law enforcers,” said the statement.

Zakeria was also believed to be involved in the assassination of Zubaidullah Khan, a CSP officer of the Federal Information Group, posted as director of the Pakistan Housing Authority in Islamabad.

Mr Khan was killed along with two others on the first day of Eid in Mirali in May this year. Gunmen riding a motorbike killed them when they were coming out of the mosque after offering Eid prayers.

The killing of the senior civil officer had raised concerns about the state of security in once-volatile North Waziristan which has seen an uptick in the number of attacks on security forces since the Zarb-i-Azb operation in June 2014.

A lawmaker from the tribal district told the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly last week that 200 people had lost lives to targeted killings since February 2018. There was, however, no official corroboration or denial of the claim by the lawmaker.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2020

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary in the dock
Updated 22 Feb, 2025

Judiciary in the dock

Recent developments in SC and IHC certainly seem to have lent credibility to perception that judges perceived as a 'threat’ are being sidelined.
Paying taxes
22 Feb, 2025

Paying taxes

FINANCE Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb’s ‘hard talk’ at a retail business conference on Thursday was long ...
Rules for thee
22 Feb, 2025

Rules for thee

IT was a year ago when, in the tumultuous aftermath of the 2024 elections, the state banned X. Today, it remains...
Ukraine initiative
Updated 21 Feb, 2025

Ukraine initiative

Whether Trump’s Ukraine peace initiative succeeds or not, it will be difficult for Kyiv, Europe to face Russian military machine without US support.
High cost of SOEs
21 Feb, 2025

High cost of SOEs

THERE are losses and then some. The finance ministry’s latest overview of the federally owned state enterprises...
Poor impression
21 Feb, 2025

Poor impression

RECENT developments in the Senate have provided cause for concern on how parliamentary business is being conducted....