Two prominent Madaris in Karachi — Jamia Al-Arabia Ahsan-ul-Uloom, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, and Jamia Darul Uloom Yaseen-ul-Quran, North Karachi — have officially revoked the graduation certificates of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud, declaring his degrees null and void.
According to an official notification issued by Jamia Darul Uloom Yaseen-ul-Quran on June 25, the institution has no affiliation with Noor Wali Mehsud, also known as Abu Mansoor Asim, a resident of North Waziristan. The seminary categorically rejected any association with the leader of what it described as the “deviant group Khawarij — the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).” The notice declared that all degrees previously issued in his name stand canceled.
In a separate statement, Jamia Al-Arabia Ahsan-ul-Uloom, another well-known religious institution in Karachi, confirmed that Noor Wali Mehsud was once enrolled in its Dars-e-Nizami program, specifically the final-year Hadith course in 1999. However, the seminary emphasized that it is a legally registered educational institution operating strictly under Pakistani law and maintains a strict policy against any form of political or militant activity.
The statement further said that if any student is found involved in activities against the state, the seminary reserves the right to immediately terminate their affiliation. “Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud is involved in unlawful and anti-state activities, which is in complete contradiction to our values. Therefore, the seminary officially dissociates itself from him and cancels his certificate,” the statement read.
The revocation of Mehsud’s degrees is seen as a symbolic move — a clear denunciation of the attempt to conflate religion with terrorism.
Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud gained notoriety following the publication of his book “Inqilab-e-Mehsud” (The Mehsud Revolution) in December 2017, where he provided detailed accounts of the TTP’s involvement in extortion, kidnapping for ransom, and targeted killings. He also openly claimed responsibility for the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in the book.
In 2019, the U.S. State Department designated Noor Wali Mehsud as a global terrorist. The TTP itself had been designated as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the United States in 2010. Subsequently, in July 2020, the United Nations also imposed international sanctions on Mehsud, including asset freezes, travel bans, and an arms embargo.
A native of South Waziristan, Mehsud studied at various religious institutions, including Jamia Nusrat-ul-Uloom in Gujranwala and the two Karachi-based madaris that have now publicly distanced themselves from him. In 2013, he served as the TTP’s Karachi chief for two years. He later joined the breakaway Mehsud faction led by Khalid Saeed Sajna, serving as his deputy.
In 2018, following the death of TTP leader Mullah Fazlullah in a U.S. drone strike, Noor Wali Mehsud was appointed as the group’s emir by its central shura.
Security officials believe that Mehsud is currently operating out of Afghanistan and continues to direct terrorist activities targeting Pakistan from across the border.
