Malik challenges reports that say SwatTaliban commander Fazlullah is alive

Islamabad, Nov.19 (ANI): Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik has challenged media reports that claim that SwatTaliban commander Mullah Fazlullah is alive and has sneaked into Afghanistan.

Addressing a function at the police lines here, Malik said: "In case the Afghan Government knows where Fazlullah is hiding, they should apprehend and hand him over to Pakistan."

The BBC's Urdu service had reported that Fazlullah had called them and said that he has safely crossed over to Afghanistan.

Fazlullah reportedly called the BBC and claimed that he was in Afghanistan and that his fighters would soon start guerrilla attacks against security forces in Swat.

He also threatened that North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain would meet the same fate as formerAfghan President Dr Najibullah, who was killed by the Taliban in 1996.(ANI)