Shahid Latif, a suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist believed to be the mastermind behind the 2016 attack on an Indian Air Force base in Pathankot, was fatally shot by unidentified attackers on Wednesday within a mosque located in Daska town of Pakistan's Sialkot district.
In the ongoing situation, Latif, who is also identified as Bilal and recognized as a designated terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, is reported to have been killed along with two of his associates by three gunmen.
In 1993, he entered the Kashmir Valley through infiltration and was subsequently apprehended a year later. Officials indicate that he spent time incarcerated in Jammu jail alongside Masood Azhar, the JeM founder, until 2010.
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Upon his release, he was deported to Pakistan in 2010 and reportedly became a formal member of the terrorist organization, as per their accounts.
"This is the biggest blow to JeM on Pakistan soil," an official said.
Latif was wanted by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
Seven IAF personnel were killed when four JeM terrorists sneaked into the Pathankot Air Force Station on January 2, 2016. The siege went on for three days.
