JuA Chief Umer Khalid Khorsani death not confirmed: Secretary Defence

JuA Chief Umer Khalid Khorsani death not confirmed: Secretary Defence

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has no information that Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (JuA) chief Umar Khalid Khorasani was killed in a recent US drone strike, Defence Secretary Zamirul Hassan Shah told the Senate Standing Committee on Defence on Thursday.

Earlier this month, JuA spokesman Asad Mansoor had 'confirmed' to foreign news organisations that Khorsani has been killed in drone strike along with at least nine of his associates.

However, Shah, a retired Lt Gen, told the Senate committee that the news of Khorasani's death has not been verified, adding that a photograph of the JUA chief which had been issued along with news of his death "was a fake".

The secretary also said that there had been no US drone strike in Pakistani territory in the recent past.