Malala's enemy: Mullah Fazlullah hiding in Afghanistan, US officials confirm
Fazlullah was reportedly behind the attack on teenage child rights activist Malala Yousufzai.
Citing unnamed US officials, the WP report stated that the Taliban leader has escaped retribution by hiding in a section of eastern Afghanistan where the US forces are present but focused on other targets.
“Finding Fazlullah is not a priority because he is not affiliated with al Qaeda or with insurgents targeting US and Afghan interests”, the officials said as per the report.
“Our guys just aren’t tracking him,” a senior Special Operations official said. “He is viewed as an ‘other-side-of-the-border’ problem.”
Malala was attacked by Taliban gunmen on October 9, when she was returning home from school. She was shifted to the UK for medical treatment.
Pakistan has repeatedly asked the US to hunt down Fazlullah, even handing over a dossier on him to authorities, but scant action has been taken.
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"Pakistan has repeatedly asked the US to hunt down Fazlullah"
When will the Pakistani government stop being lazy, and stop requesting favours from the US gov? It is clear that USA does not care about Pakistan's internal issues and yet many Pakistanis are in favour of the US. This is an internal issue. The Pakistani government should search for this target on their own and stop this sheer madness by disengaging themselves from this war. We need to build an independent nation and solve this problem from the ground root. It all begins with talking, reaching a solution - not by shooting your 'opposition' aimlessly. Shame on the Pakistani government for not preventing the Malala incident.
This is too much. I didn't expected such a bad response from US. This news jolted my perception about US.
I went that report and this report. But i did not find whether US confirm his presence. They just say, they are not to hunt him down. They have more other priorities....How do you claim he is in Afghanistan.
@sensible:
The news in Washington post is an attempt to show the mirror to Pakistan as to why they are not confronting with Mullah Fazalullah. ? Ok , in case USA agree to strike on Fazalullah. will Pakistan agree to take on Haqqani Network ( having sanctuary in North Waziristan) Will there be consensus on it in Pakistan's institutions ?
When Mumbai attack took place Pakistan asked for a CONCRETE PROOF. Do you have any CONCRETE PROOF against Malala attacker ?
For God sack dear Pakistani friends! your country is interfering in Afghanistan internal Affairs for the last forty years and is responsible for all the miseries and sufferings of millions of afghan people. And former Pakistani military and intelligence chiefs are proudly and openly talk and write about their meddling in the afghan affairs. Such a hue and cry from Pakistan’s side over a single instance is not justifiable.
another game like of osama bin laden, this is a fake picture. Foreigner with beared has been pasted.
Let Pak keep its priorities and do nothing against haqqani. And pl dont complain about fazlullah also. The net result is more droning and more collateral damage. It is upto pak to choose what they prefer death by drones or death by terrorists. Inaction brings both ie deaths due to drones and deaths due to TTP.
Simple Solution: Ask the Haqqanis to liquidate the Mullah inside Afghanistan ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Isnt that what the Haqqanis are for? Why rely on amreekans when its not needed?
In the same way Pakistan has its own Priorities. Why blame Pakistan then...
It's entertaining seeing all the "oh so you want us to do x but you won't do y" comments as if they found some ground to stand on. It doesn't work that way for Pakistan. You're the ones who have been refusing to go after people first. NATO/US gets ownership of "oh so you want us to do x but you won't do y" and Pakistan is the one receiving the snub.
Sure he is not in any Abbottabad than?
@Saleem:
it works both ways saleem. Remember a guy called Osama? You want the USA and NATO to hunt down this savage who is a threat to Pakistan but you dont want to hunt down the savages who are a threat to the world?
What a relief! Now we should give a notice to newly re-elected president of the US to handover him to us or we will bring down all the drones flying over Pakistan?
People didn't seriously think that he was in North Waziristan did they? Except ofcourse our war loving liberals, oh yea, and latte sippers in islamabad
@malik Hamza: Mr Malik why ask for the permission from America or Nato for the raid on this terrorist??. West is the biggest hypocrite on the planet and they have two faces in every case and the do support terrorists as well . America will never allow to kill this terrorist as he is a good asset for them for terrorism in Pakistan. If America can do the raid in Pakistan to remove their targets without persmission then Pakistan can do the same. Pakistani ground intelligence have full access to the East of Afghanistan because of Proximity with the borders and because of Porous borders it is not a problem to go there. So in my view Pak Army dont have to wait. If America can remove their targets then Pak Army can go and remove their bad man without permission in other countries as well and we should do that.
Eastern Afghanistan is in the range of Pakistan Airforce and and ISI should locate this Terrorist and Airforce should do the raid along with Covert ground units. I think PAF have laser guided bombs and infiltration and monitoring of the terrorist's activities in Afghanistan should not be a problem for our Army with the help of Ground intelligence of ISI. Pakistan Army have to show that apart from making Housing Schemes they are better in doing their real job as well and I am sure this Mullah Fazaullah could not only be removed but will bring shame to the Nato and the US as Pakistan can state after their Covert Operation in Afghanistan that they have taken down the Taliban leader protected involved in Attacking Malala and this will help Pakistan in every case.
@Saleem: But where is Pakistani Army oblignig?
Let us all understand, for months now Pakistan has refused to do anything about the Haqqani network in the Waziristans because they are only attacking Afghan targets, and as such are viewed as "Assets" of Pakistan in the Great Game! Now the Americans /Afghans return the favor with Fazlullah so Pakistan can see how the shoe fits on the other foot!
@meekal a ahmed: If you followed the hysterical media reaction the popular theory was that Ehsanullah Ehsan took responsibility and the TTP(HM) of NWA was behind the whole thing and we had to avenge the Qom ki beti in another operation. I hope we don't apply that logic again and decide not to attack ISAF and the ANA in Kunar.lol
where did we think he was hiding?
American must now admit that they failed in bitterly in afghanistan due to their cunning and double standard behaviour. Americans are not sincere to eliminate terrorism but they are secretly supporting it for their temporary gains which will be a big problem again for them at the end
This statement of american army reflects that they support terrorism“Our guys just aren’t tracking him,” a senior Special Operations official said. “He is viewed as an ‘other-side-of-the-border’ problem.”. Read it and think
The fear which existed in pakistan about american army that they support terrorism in pakistan is now confirmed by the statement of American army about the presence of Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan commander in Afghanistan. The statement of american general about Mullah Fazlullah that “Our guys just aren’t tracking him,” a senior Special Operations official said. “He is viewed as an ‘other-side-of-the-border’ problem.” clealry shows that american army support Mullah Fazullah to carry out terroists attacks in pakistan. If this double standard exist, how can we finish the menace of terrorism ???
@Cautious
Just like he is not US problem, why should Haqqani be our problem? As for drones since u using them anyway and not listening to our protests what difference does it make? Takes two to tango thats what been told so same way you shouldn't complaint.
Fazlullah is on the payroll of the US.
@Cautious: Both of us are far from reality.. we dnt knw whats the reality of ttp. From where i see; ttp is CIA's weapon against pakistan. And haqqanis are our ISI's weapon against American indian jewish presence in afghanistan. Everyone is just safegaurding their own interests!
@Cautious:
If you go beyond CNN and FOX for your information you will find out that his whereabouts are known to Afghan officials, and one recently gave a statement to BBC regarding that. Both Pakistan and US are playing same game, and Afghans cannot do much without their respective master's permission. Non of the parties involved (Afghan groups allied with US, US itself and Pakistan) have any higher moral ground here. It is all about money and power. So stop pretending to be "Champions of Freedom".
For the US, Mullah Fazlullah may not be a focus, same for Pakistan the Haqqani network is not a point of focus.
To the US, Pakistan needs to tell them to "Do more."
US is cleary telling Pakistani Establishment that if you can play both sides in this war on terror, so we!
Mullah Fazlullah hiding out in Afghanistan is a red herring - the vast majority of the TTP reside in the tribal territories of Pakistan and your army has yet to mount a significant military campaign to deal with that problem. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to distinguish the difference between Pakistan's policy of providing sanctuary to the Haqqani and the American's not dedicating resources in a search/destroy operation for one man who's location is unknown. If you know the specific location of Fazlullah then tell the American's - they can take him out with drones as they have other TTP residing in Afghanistan (something conveniently forgotten by ET readers).
@BILL
Fur.
cool if fazullah is not your target and not against you and why you want Pak to crack down haqqanis since they are not against Pak, what a contradiction.
our guys are not tracking him he is viewed as another side border problem ? If your forces cant hunt him down give Pakistan permission to go in Afghanistan and hunt the dog down. What you did with Osama -- what comes round goes round
@BILL: That's Noor-e-Ibleesi.
Now hear Najam Sethi,Asma Jehangir, Aitzaz Hassan,Prof Pervez Hoodhby,Hussain Haqqani step forward and start abusing ISI but still saying we are not supporting CIA & NATO.
If finding/pursuing a target on Pakistan’s request is not a priority for the US or Nato then why a target needed by them should be a priority for Pakistan?
Dear America
We are not targeting the Haqqani network because it is not affiliated with the TTP or with insurgents attacking Pakistani interests
With Love
Pakistan Army
I had doubts on imran khan's foreign and security policy but after reading this my faith in imran khan has just grown
Afghanistan has repeatedly asked Pakistan to hunt down Mullah Omar and the Haqqani clan, even handing over dossiers on them to authorities, but scant action has been taken.
“Finding Fazlullah is not a priority because he is not affiliated with al Qaeda or with insurgents targeting US and Afghan interests”, the officials said as per the report.
just wondering how our so called fake liberals going to defend this
Thanks a lot Mr.Mullah for showing the face of ur Talibani society.
So the US will not leash him if he is not affiliated with al Qaeda ??
Then US shouldn't ask Pakistan Army to hunt leaders of Haqqani Network. They are also, "‘other-side-of-the-border’ problem" for the army.
He is viewed as an ‘other-side-of-the-border’ problem.” and we are supposed to be allies with usa Imran khan seems to be right, high time we make independent foreign policy. Disengage ourselves from this war on terror.