Image courtesy: Asad Umar / Facebook

Islamabad: Pakistan’s sham crackdown on terrorism has been exposed with the founder of a banned group joining the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of Prime Minister Imran Khan. Pakistani media reported on Thursday that Harkat-ul Mujahideen founder Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil has joined the PTI and the same was announced by ruling party leader Asad Umar.

Umar announced on his Facebook page that Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil, who is at present the leader of Ansar-ul-Umma, has pledged his support to the PTI along with a number of his allies.

“Maulana Fazlur Rehman Khalil along with his several companions and scholars has announced his support for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf,” read the statement posted on Facebook. It added that Khalil intends to “stay committed in ensuring that Pakistan takes the necessary steps required to turn the country into an Islamic democratic state.”

The development came even as reports said Pakistan has seized control of 182 religious schools and taken more than "100 people" into preventive custody. The Pakistan government claims to have launched a crackdown against banned terror groups in the wake of heightened tensions with India following the air strikes at a Jaish-e-Mohammed terror camp in Balakot.

Earlier this week, Pakistan also detained JeM chief Masood Azhar's brother and his son along with 42 other members of banned groups.