Fazlullah (militant leader)
| Maulana Qazi Fazlullah | |
|---|---|
Maulana Fazlullah, in Swat, Pakistan, 2008
|
|
| Born |
Fazal Hayat 1974 (age 42–43) |
| Children | Muhammad Hakim, Abdul Basit (Killed) |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |
 Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan(2007–present) |
| Years of service | 1992–2015 |
| Rank | Emir of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan |
| Battles/wars | |
Fazal Hayat (born 1974), more commonly known by his pseudonym Fazlullah, is a militant Islamist who has served as the leader of the Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi, an organisation aiming to enforce their interpretation of Sharia in Pakistan, and was the leader of the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan in Swat Valley. On 7 November 2013 he became the emir of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, and has presided over the descent of the group into factions who are often at war with each other.
Fazlullah was born Fazal Hayat in 1974 to Biladar Khan, a Pashtun of Babukarkhel clan of the Yusufzai tribe of the Swat District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. He married the daughter of Sufi Muhammad, the founder of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi. It is rumored that Fazullah kidnapped Sufi Muhammmad's daughter as a student in Sufi Muhammad Madrassa. MSNBC, a news channel in the United States obtained an alleged picture of Fazlullah. On 23 March 2015, Pakistani military forces and the Pakistani media reported that Fazlullah was killed on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. This claim was denied by the Tehrik-i-Taliban.
On 12 January 2002, Fazlullah became the leader of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) due to the enforcement of a ban by Pervez Musharraf, former President of Pakistan. The ban led to the arrest and capture of Sufi Muhammad, which placed Fazlullah into the leadership role. Although Sufi Muhammed was freed in 2008, he did not seek to usurp Fazlullah's leadership in the TNSM. Fazlullah managed to restore the organization, bootstrapping on the relief efforts by Islamist extremist groups following the 8 October 2005-earthquake. New cadres then began moving into the Swat Valley. Fazlullah was allegedly arrested by Pakistani security forces while coming back from Afghanistan. While in prison, Sufi Muhammad (his father in law) changed his name from Fazal hayat to Fazlullah. While imprisoned, Fazlullah studied from a variety of religious books that were provided by Sufi Muhammmd. These books included the Holy Qur'an translation and "Tafseer." In February 2009, Sufi Muhammad assisted in the negotiation of a cease fire between TNSM forces and the Pakistani army. As part of the cease fire Pakistan agreed to allow Sharia law in Malakand District.
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