ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s security forces have killed a key Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander known by his aliases Mufti Mazahim and Mufti Hazrat, officials said on Thursday.
Mufti Mazahim, whose real name was Qari Amjad, served as the deputy leader of the outlawed militant group and was one of the country’s most wanted militants. He was killed during an intelligence-based operation (IBO) near the Pakistan–Afghanistan border in Bajaur District.
A spokesman for the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has confirmed in a statement that Qari Amjad and his deputy commander Yasir were killed in an operation of Pakistan’s security forces.
According to Pakistan’s security officials, the operation took place on the night of October 29–30, 2025, after the movement of a group of Khawarij militants attempting to infiltrate from Afghanistan was detected. “Our troops effectively engaged and thwarted the infiltration attempt,” the military media wing ISPR said. “As a result of precise and skillful engagement, four militants, including the high-value target Qari Amjad, were killed.”
The Man Behind the Militancy
Qari Amjad, also known by aliases Mufti Hazrat and Mufti Mazahim, was regarded as the number two in the TTP’s hierarchy — second only to the group’s chief, Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud. A member of the group’s Rehbari Shura (leadership council), he played a central role in planning and executing terrorist operations across Pakistan’s northwestern regions, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the former tribal areas (FATA).
He was not merely a planner but a field operative as well, directly supervising attacks on security convoys, police posts, and border installations. The United States designated him a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT) in 2022 for his involvement in deadly militant activities. Pakistani authorities had placed a bounty of five million rupees on his head.
A Notorious Figure in Terror Campaigns
The Pakistani government had offered a bounty of five million rupees for his capture. Officials said he planned multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan while operating from Afghanistan.
BREAKING 🟥🟥🟥
TTP Rahbari Shura member Qari Amjad, alias Mufti Muzahim, was killed along with his accomplices by Pakistani security forces in Bajaur.
The attached video shows recent footage of Qari Amjad, alias Mufti Muzahim, released by TTP’s Umar Media. 📽📽 https://t.co/nfQ8RxcqWS pic.twitter.com/XfnTYW7Ukt
— Schlangenjäger (@Shadowfox_11) October 30, 2025
Amjad was notorious for orchestrating attacks on girls’ schools and educational institutions, symbolizing the TTP’s opposition to women’s education. He also established drone and quadcopter units within the TTP, used for cross-border bombings targeting Pakistani border posts.
Security analysts described him as one of the chief architects of the group’s recent terror resurgence, responsible for coordinating multiple suicide bombings, improvised explosive device (IED) attacks, and ambushes on Pakistani forces. He also oversaw training camps and new terror tactics designed to extend TTP’s operational reach.
A Blow to TTP’s Command Structure
Officials say Amjad’s death has dealt a serious blow to the TTP’s command and control structure, disrupting coordination among its Bajaur, Swat, and North Waziristan networks. “This is a significant intelligence-led success that will further weaken the group’s militant infrastructure,” one security analyst told WE News.
Security forces believe the slain commander had been hiding in Bajaur for two weeks, acting under direct instructions from TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud to intensify attacks inside Pakistan. Intelligence agencies had been monitoring his movements closely before launching the precision strike.
Pakistan Blames Afghan Soil for Continued Terror Infiltration
The military said the operation also “validates Pakistan’s stance that Afghan soil continues to be used as a safe haven by militants belonging to the so-called Fitna al-Khawarij against Pakistan.”
“It is pertinent to highlight that the leadership of Fitna al Khawarij while residing in Afghanistan is orchestrating infiltration attempts into Pakistan – primarily to project an impression of domestic presence and to raise the diminishing morale of their khwarij in Bajaur and Mohmand because of effective operations of security forces,” the military said.
Islamabad once again urged the interim Afghan government to take concrete measures to ensure its territory is not used for terrorism against Pakistan. “It is once again reiterated that the Interim Afghan Government must take concrete measures to ensure that Afghan soil is not used by kharji proxies to perpetrate terrorism against Pakistan,”.
Azm-e-Istehkam: A Renewed Counterterrorism Vision
Officials said a sanitization operation was continuing in Bajaur to eliminate any remaining militants or foreign-backed operatives in the area. The latest action forms part of Pakistan’s ongoing counterterrorism campaign under Vision “Azm-e-Istehkam” — a strategy approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan aimed at eradicating all forms of foreign-sponsored terrorism.
Security forces reaffirmed their commitment to defend the country’s borders, declaring that Pakistan will tolerate no militant presence on its soil. “This operation reflects not just professional skill but unwavering resolve to protect national security,” a military spokesperson said.
