( CNN ) -- A Pakistan Taliban commander possibly linked to the assassination attempt on teenage activist Malala Yousafzai has been elevated to leader of the terrorist group . The Pakistan Taliban elected Maulana Fazlullah , one of its longtime militia commanders , as their new leader , spokesman Shahidullah Shahid said Thursday . The previous leader , Hakimullah Mehsud , was killed in a U.S. drone strike in northwestern Pakistan last week . Afghan President criticizes U.S. drone strike that killed Pakistani Taliban leader . Fazlullah once led a Pakistan Taliban militia in the country 's Swat region . The Pakistani military ran Fazlullah 's group out of Pakistan in 2009 , forcing it to operate from Afghanistan . Pakistani military sources said Fazlullah is believed to be in Afghanistan and is believed to have been ordering attacks in Pakistan from there . Swat , in northwestern Pakistan , was where militants shot and wounded teen activist Malala in October 2012 as she was riding home from school in a van ; the Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility . Fazlullah is known as a hard-liner who broadcast fiery sermons and hard-line ideology via an extremist radio station . The station was shut down when he was pushed out of Pakistan . The group 's Central Shura Council picked Fazlullah , along with a new deputy leader , Sheikh Khalid Haqqani . Pakistani Prime Minister : Drone strike wo n't derail Taliban peace talks . The outgoing interim leader of the Pakistan Taliban , Asmatullah Shaheen , said Thursday that any discussions of talks with the Pakistani government are off the table . There were never truly talks between the two sides , Shaheen said , and there never will be . The Pakistan Taliban will focus their attacks on Punjab province , a stronghold of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif , Shaheen said . He blamed the Prime Minister for turning Pakistan into a `` colony '' of the United States and for the death of their former leader , Mehsud . During a trip to Washington , the Prime Minister sold Pakistan out , Shaheen said . `` Instead of stopping the drone strikes , he struck a deal with the United States for our leader 's head , '' he said .
Pakistan : The Pakistan Taliban say they will focus attacks in Punjab province . The Pakistan Taliban choose Maulana Abdullah as their new leader . He may be linked to the assassination attempt against President Yousafzai . He is believed to be behind attacks from Afghanistan .