Islamabad, Pakistan’s federal cabinet might discuss the “mysterious escape” of former spokesman for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Ehsanullah Ehsan from the custody of security agencies at its meeting on Thursday, a media report said.
The development was hinted by federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari during an exclusive chat with Dawn news on Wednesday.
In response to a question about reports of the former TTP leader’s escape, Mazari told Dawn news that though the issue did not fall in her Ministry’s purview, “it will be raised and discussed in the Thursday’s meeting of the federal cabinet”.
Mazari said there must be a strict security around the detained terrorists., adding that there should be early convictions of terrorists facing trials.
While addressing reporters at Parliament House on Monday, Interior Minister Ijaz Shah had for the first time confirmed reports of Ehsan’s escape from the custody of security agencies.
The Minister istated that he had read reports about the former TTP leader’s escape. When asked whether there was any truth in such reports, he replied: “The news is true, it’s true.”
Shah said the state was aware of Ehsan’s escape, but did not provide details.
The former Taliban militant who had surrendered before the Pakistan Army three years ago, according to sources, was set free by the Pakistani security establishment in lieu of credible information he provided against other Pakistani militants.
As per the pact between the two sides, the Pakistan Army and ISI had promised not only to rebuild Ehsan’s destroyed house in his native village, but also committed to not subject him to any torture and instead give him a safe place and protection, (Pakistani)Rs 1 crore and permission to use a cell phone and Internet.
