TNSM, TTP leaders develop differences

PESHAWAR - Rejecting the speculation regarding the killing of TNSM leadership by the security forces, NWFP Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain claimed that both TNSM leaders as well as a non-commissioned officer of Army were shot dead in a target killing incident by militants.
“Due to such heinous acts, the militants have lost the support of religious people and now they are isolated in the NWFP. There are rifts in the ranks of militants and soon they will be flushed out from Malakand and others parts of the country,” Iftikhar remarked while briefing the media persons here at Civil Officer Mess on Saturday.
He informed that both the TNSM leaders were being shifted to Peshawar for further investigations when militants blew up their vehicle with remote-controlled device and later triggered firing, which resulted in killing of Amir Izzat Khan, Maulana Mohammad Alam and an army officer on the spot. He said it was target killing aimed to provoke people against the government. He strongly condemned the statements of various political parties regarding the halting of military operation and said if those people loved militants, why they were not joining militants. He said the government was taking decisive action against militants and would proceed the operation to its logical end.
APP adds: TNSM leadership and Taliban had differences over Shariah implementation and the former had been receiving threats, NWFP Information Minister Mian Ifitkhar Hussain said Saturday.
He said Amir Izzat had personally informed him that he and even TNSNM chief Maulana Sufi were receiving life threats from Taliban. Amirt Izzat, spokesman and Muhammad Alam, deputy leader of TNSM, were killed in the attack when they were being taken to Peshawar in a convoy.