Qari Saifullah Akhtar, the founder of banned Harkat-ul-Jihad-Al Islami militant group, was gunned down in Afghanistan, sources told private news channel early Tuesday. Akhtar was killed during a clash with Afghan security forces at Paktika`s area of Birmil. Sources said his family has been informed that he has been killed.

Hailing from Chishtian, Qari Akhtar was an active leader of militants based in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He has previously worked as advisor of slain Taliban leader Mullah Omar. Qari Akhtar was arrested during the government of late Benazir Bhutto on the charges of mutiny. After getting acquitted from the case he disappeared.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2017