Government must come clean about Ehsan's escape: Bilawal

In wake of "dramatic" escape of former spokesperson of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Ehsanullah Ehsan, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Monday submitted questions with the National Assembly Secretariat, asking the government to clear its position.

Ehsan, who was involved in the murder of thousands of Pakistanis, has reportedly fled to Turkey last week after escaping from a prison in Peshawar. The sources within the PPP confirmed to Business Recorder that Bilawal submitted some tough questions with the NA Secretariat in which, he has sought clarification from Interior Minister Brig (retired) Ijaz Shah about the reports of notorious terrorist's escape from the country.

"What's the current status of Ehsanullah Ehsan, and whether it's a fact that he has fled to Turkey as reported in the media. If so, how did he manage to escape from the custody of the law enforcement agencies," questioned Bilawal. In 2012, as part of TTP, Ehsan claimed responsibility for an assassination attempt on Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, while in 2014.

In 2014, a suicide bombing took place at Pakistan's Wagah border with India, which killed more than 60 people. Responsibility for that attack was separately claimed by Jundallah, TTP, and JuA.

Ehsan has had links with all these groups as they have collaborated and competed in the past to gain space in Pakistan's militant landscape. The security apparatus of the country has come under scathing attack, after it was reported that the notorious Taliban spokesman along with his family has fled to Turkey.

The political parties also questioned the competence of the law enforcement agencies. But despite passage of over one week since the news of his escape broke, the government is yet to openly divulge the details of his escape from highly guarded prison where he was kept after his arrest.

However, the interior minister on Monday told reporters that reports of his escape are true, but he did not elaborate any further, saying he would give a good news soon.

The parents of the students, martyred in a terrorist attack on Army Public School in Peshawar in 2014, have also approached Supreme Court of Pakistan, and demanded contempt of court proceedings against multiple government officials following reports of Ehsan's escape from their custody.

They have also filed a petition with the Peshawar High Court, said that the respondents, which include the army chief, the director general of ISI, as well as the federal and provincial secretaries, had violated earlier orders of the PHC barring authorities from releasing Ehsan.