Pak Taliban releases video of killing of former ISI officer

Islamabad, Feb 20(ANI): The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has released a video footage of the killing of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officer Colonel Sultan Ameer Tarar, commonly known as Colonel Imam.

In the video, a Taliban fighter was shown firing at Colonel Imam in the presence of TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud, The Nation reports.

In the footage, Mehsud, along with two Taliban commanders, conveyed his demands to the government in the presence of Colonel Imam.

Colonel Imam and another former ISI official, Squadron Leader (retired) Khalid Khawaja, had gone to North Waziristan along with a British TV journalist, Asad Qureshi, to make a documentary on the Taliban and victims of US drone strikes when they were abducted in March 2010.

Later, an unknown militant organisation, Asian Tigers, had claimed responsibility for the abduction and accused Khawaja of spying for the Central Intelligence Agency. He was subsequently shot dead on April 30 near Mir Ali town.

Journalist Qureshi and his driver Rustam Khan were released several months later, reportedly after his family paid ransom to his abductors. They were in the custody of militants affiliated with the TTP.

The abductors had reportedly demanded fifty million rupees and the release of some jailed militants in lieu of Colonel Imam's release.

Col Imam's body was found in the Mir Ali area of North Waziristan on Sunday (today). According to the locals, a white car dropped the body along the road on Saturday night in Karamkot village. (ANI)