Malik Ishaq, the chief of banned sectarian outfit Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), his two sons and 11 top members of the group linked to al-Qaeda were killed in an encounter in Muzaffargarh district of Pakistan’s Punjab province.
Ishaq has been accused of masterminding dozens of attacks against the minority Shia community.
At least six policemen were injured in the encounter which lasted for more than two hours, police said.
Ishaq and his sons were arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Department a week ago.
A top police officer said Ishaq, his sons and three other militants were taken to Shahwala in Muzaffargarh by Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) for recovery of weapons and on their return they were attacked by LeJ militants.
“The militants were freed by the attackers who fled on a motorbike,” he said.
However, an officer of CTD who was informed about the incident was travelling on the road taken by the fleeing militants. The officer challenged the militants, which led to heavy exchange of fire.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)