outfit that was also involved in al-Qaeda-sponsored terrorist activities like the attack on Sri Lanka’s cricket team in addition to its own agenda of sectarian violence.
Malik was in prison when Basra had attacked Nawaz Sharif’s convoy.He was in Rahim Yar Khan jail when Muhamamd Aqeel alias Dr Usman had attacked the GHQ in March 2009. As Aqeel had demanded the release of his fellows including Malik as a condition for surrender, Malik was transported in a special plane from the prison to the GHQ.
Maulana Ahmed Ludhianvi, head of Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), and Mufti Abdul Rauf, the younger brother of Maulana Azhar Masood, were also airlifted to the GHQ for negotiation from Lahore and Bahawalpur, according to a report by Amir Mir.
Malik had confronted Aqeel questioning his credentials saying that one of the detainees in his demand list is already dead meaning thereby he didn’t have any knowledge of them, according to the officials privy to details. Also, he had urged Aqeel to surrender saying that LeJ had no enmity with the army as the banned outfit had sectarian goals to achieve.
Malik was released on bail in July 2011 after serving 14 years in prison only to be jailed again in March 2013 after allegedly masterminding a bomb blast in Rahim Yar Khan in January 2012.
He used to run a cigarette shop in his native town, Rahim Yar Khan, before becoming a conflict entrepreneur. Malik had joined the SSP after attending a sermon of the founding leading of the parent organisation, Haq Nawaz Jhangvi.
So indoctrinated was he by the teachings of Jhangvi that he had named a son after him who was incidentally also killed during Wednesday’s encounter in addition to Usman, another son of Malik Ishaq.
Other 11 militants killed during the encounter are relatively less known but considered the operational commanders of LeJ.
In addition to his role in LeJ, Malik and his associates were also part of ASWJ. Malik was its senior vice president until his expulsion after the murder of ASWJ’s president of its Punjab chapter, Shams-ur-Rehman Moavia, whose killing was allegedly masterminded by Malik.
As Wednesday’s encounter almost eliminated the top leader of the banned outfit, there are fears of a backlash from the remaining lot. Mati-ur-Rehman and Naeem Bokhar, two LeJ commanders are still at large.
The former is said to be operating from Afghanistan.While the banned outfit has received a setback in Punjab due to the Wednesday’s encounter, several of its leaders in Sindh have been killed halting its sectarian violence in Karachi.
Although the possibility of its resurgence can’t be ruled out, the security experts say it will not be an easy task. “LeJ will take time to recover,” said an expert who closely monitors their operations.