Security official confirms escape of Ehsanullah Ehsan

ISLAMABAD: A leading member of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has escaped custody more than two years after surrendering to authorities, a senior security official confirmed Sunday.The confirmation comes days after Ehsanullah Ehsan -- the former spokesman for the TTP -- released an audio message claiming he had escaped detention and was now in Turkey. A senior security source told AFP Ehsan was “one of our major assets in identifying and later tracking down militants”.

The source was unable to confirm claims that Ehsan was in Turkey, or provide details of how he escaped. Ehsan was infamous for issuing chilling claims following TTP attacks and has been linked to some of the country´s most bloody attacks — including the bombing at a park in Lahore during Easter 2016, and the targeting of education activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.

Ehsan surrendered to authorities in 2017 and later gave high-profile interviews on Pakistani television, angering many in the country who believed he was being pampered by authorities after years of helping lead the bloody insurgency. Pakistani security officials argued, however, that he had supplied valuable intelligence in the fight against militants.