Pathankot attack mastermind Shahid Latif shot dead by unidentified assailants in Pakistan: Report

Shahid Latif, one of India's most wanted terrorists believed to be the mastermind behind the Pathankot attack, has been shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Pakistan's Sialkot, India Today reported. Latif was wanted by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) in an Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case. Latif, who along with his driver, was headed towards a mosque for Fajr (morning) prayers, was assassinated near Masjid Noor in Sialkot's Daska.

He was a key member of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group, which claimed responsibility for the 2016 assault on the Air Force base in Pathankot.   

He was also involved in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines IC-814 plane in 1999.

On January 2, 2016, a heavily armed group attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station ensuing a gunfight between the security forces and attackers for around 17 hours. Five attackers and six security personnel were killed. Three more soldiers died after they were hospitalised due to their injuries.