One of Pakistan's most wanted and dangerous terrorists, Iqbal alias "Bali," from the "Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan* (TTP), was killed in an encounter with police in Dera Ismail Khan, according to Pakistani media.
Based on the reports, Iqbal and his accomplices were eliminated during an operation based on secret information obtained by the police.
Iqbal was wanted in connection with 26 cases of terrorism, murder, and kidnappings of policemen. Media also reported that "a reward of 10.5 million rupees ($128,000) was announced for his head." He was considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in the country.
The slain terrorist was one of the masterminds of the armed attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in 2009, which killed five policemen and injured two. Six members of the team and a coach's assistant suffered minor shrapnel wounds, and one player sustained gunshot wounds.
The committee blamed the recent surge in terrorism on the soft policy towards the TTP, which not only allowed the terrorists to return to the country unimpeded, but also led to the release of dangerous terrorists from prison.
In late November of last year, the "Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan" announced that it was canceling the ceasefire agreement with the Pakistani government and ordering its militants to launch attacks across the country.
* a terror group banned in Russia and other countries
** under UN sanctions for terrorism