Srinagar: A most wanted terrorist of India has been killed in Pakistan. Hizbul Mujahideen’s top commander Bashir Ahmad Peer alias Imtiaz Alam was shot dead by unidentified assailants outside a shop in Rawalpindi on Monday evening. Pir was declared a most wanted terrorist by the central government in October last year for his role in sending terrorists to infiltrate into Jammu and Kashmir and providing logistical support.
Peer, a resident of Babapora, Alosa village in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir, was a hardcore terrorist commander who had shifted his base to Pakistan two decades ago. He was considered close to Hizbul Chief Syed Salahuddin. According to Pakistani media reports, motorcycle-borne gunmen fired at Peer from close range on Monday evening. He was standing outside a shop in Rawalpindi when he was targeted. According to reports, Peer, who was the launching commander of Hizbul in Pakistan, was instrumental in infiltrating Kashmir, sending arms and ammunition.
Designating him as a terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Center had also issued Peer a Pakistani Computerized National Identity Card number 82203.7942470.9. According to the notification issued by the Centre, Peer was associated with several online propaganda groups to mobilize ex-terrorists and others to expand the activities of Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and other terrorist organizations. It appears to be a targeted attack. Pir’s killing in Rawalpindi is seen as a major blow to Hizbul Mujahideen and could be a message to Syed Salahuddin and other Hizbul commanders based in Pakistan.
