Amid growing dissent within Taliban ranks over succession following Mullah Omar's death, an influential Pakistani cleric known as the "Father of the Taliban" has endorsed the nomination of Mullah Akhtar Mansour as the group's supremo.


Pakistani and Afghan Ulema (religious scholars) associated with Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, have sworn allegiance to Mullah Mansour whose election has ostensibly fragmented the Afghan Taliban, the Express Tribune reported.