The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the body of slain Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has been handed over to Afghanistan.

Speaking at a routine press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, MoFA Spokesperson Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said that the body of Badruddin alias Yusuf, was handed over at the Angoor Adda crossing.

“But I can tell you that one terrorist killed, we have been told was indeed son of Afghan interim government official from Bagdis province. The body has been handed over to the Afghan authorities that I can confirm,” Khan said.

Yousaf was the son of Afghan Taliban deputy governor of Bagdis province Maulvi Ghulam Muhammad Ahmadi, Khan added.

However, Khan said that protests or demarches with foreign missions were a routine matter and were not made public unless something dramatic happens.

“As I was mentioning earlier, the routine interactions, handing over a demarche or a protest note, this is a regular activity and we don’t publicise it unless it is something dramatic,” he said.

Security forces had killed four terrorists in an intelligence-based operation in Maddi area of Kulachi tehsil, Dera Ismail Khan district on January 31.

Although, an initial report by Radio Pakistan had confirmed that Yusuf was killed in the operation, it had added that Afghan authorities had refused to receive the body of the terrorist despite multiple requests from Pakistan.

Pakistan has repeatedly stated that the Afghan government has failed to prevent sanctuaries for terrorists launching attacks in Pakistan. Several terrorists of Afghan origin have been killed in recent operations in Pakistan, including one in Zhob in January, whose body was also repatriated.