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‘Mullah Omar gave green signal to Fazlullah as TTP chief’
ISLAMABAD: The appointment of Mullah Fazlullah as new chief of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) couldn’t have been possible if he wouldn’t have got a green signal from Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Mohammad Omar, a British based news website reported on Sunday.
Unlike the Mehsud’s who were from Waziristan of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Mullah Fazlullah hails from Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK). According to the sources, the decision was made to avoid rumours of a split within the banned outfit (TTP) turning into a reality. Interestingly, TTP’s Shahidullah Shahid announced Fazlullah as the new Pakistani chief from Afghanistan.
The underlying impression given by Shahid was that a meeting of the Taliban council (Shura) was held in Afghanistan as its last meeting held in North Waziristan was where a US drone strike had killed Hakimullah Mehsud.
According to sources quoted in the report, the 17-member central shura held several sessions for three days to reach a consensus on appointing a new chief as up to six commanders were vying for the position.
The deadlock was however broken by Mullah Omar, considered “Ameerul Momineen” by the TTP, who stepped in and named Fazlullah as the man for the job. Fazlullah is said to have a closer relationship with Mullah Omar than any other member of the TTP and carries a five million rupees bounty on his head which was announced by the Pakistani government.
His appointment is considered a major win for the anti-talks proponents within the TTP as Fazlullah has been the most vocal member to oppose talks with the Pakistani government.
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