Pakistan Taliban continues deliberations to find permanent leader as diplomatic wrangle with US over drone strike continues
The Pakistan Taliban named an interim leader on Sunday as deliberations continued for a new permanent chief after the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in a drone strike.
The death of the terrorist leader as peace talks were due to start has provoked a diplomatic freeze between Islamabad and the Washington, and Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistani prime minister, is expected to call a meeting of his security cabinet discuss a response.
Mehsud died on Friday evening when two missiles slammed into his car as he arrived home from a meeting to discuss the negotiations.
Members of the movement’s shura, or advisory council, have been meeting to appoint a replacement but have been forced to change locations frequently,
Shahidullah Shahid, the main spokesman for the Pakistan Taliban said a permanent replacement had not yet been chosen.
“Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of the supreme shura, has been appointed as temporary head,” the spokesman told the AFP news agency, adding that prayers for Mehsud were still going on.
The death of such a senior terrorist leader is a huge success for America’s covert CIA drone programme.
Mehsud, who carried a $5 million (£3.1m) price on his head, led an umbrella group of militias blamed for thousands of deaths across Pakistan.
However, Mr Sharif won general elections this year after promising to open talks with the Taliban.
The plan has received cross-party support and the government said three clerics were due to travel to the tribal areas to open a dialogue at the weekend – a day after Mehsud was killed outside his home in Danda Darpa Khel, a village in North Waziristan.
Rather than welcoming the elimination of a man responsible for so many deaths, government officials have rounded on the US, accusing Washington of violating its sovereignty and sabotaging peace talks.
Drone strikes are deeply unpopular in Pakistan despite being one of the most effective ways of curbing terrorism in a country where the rule of law does not extend far into the mountainous tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Ministers reacted with fury and said relations with the US were at risk.
“Every aspect of Pakistan’s co-operation and relations with Washington will be reviewed following the situation created after Mehsud’s killing,” said Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the interior minister.
A US government official said talks with the Taliban were “an internal matter” for Pakistan.
The Taliban faces significant problems in finding a successor to the 30-something Mehsud. Any large gathering of leaders will likely be spotted from the air, bringing the risk of drone strikes.
Although the Taliban has said it will appoint a new leader within days, analysts believe those risks mean it could take much longer.
Khan Said – known as Sajna or uncle – is thought to be one of the frontrunners. An illiterate commander who was responsible for recruiting and training suicide bombers, he took over as number two in the movement earlier this year.
He comes from a faction with a history of making deals with the government and is thought to hold a pragmatic outlook that could help prospects of a peace.
Other contenders include Maulana Fazlullah, chief of the Swat Taliban, whose gunmen were responsible for the attempt to kill Malala Yousafzai last year.
Another possibility is Sheheryar Mehsud, from the same South Waziristan clan as Baitullah Mehsud, Hakimullah’s predecessor, who was killed in a 2009 drone strike.
Security has been stepped up across Pakistan for fear that the Taliban will launch a string of retaliatory attacks. Police and military have been put on high alert and checkpoints in the capital Islamabad have been reinforced by extra personnel.
The death of the terrorist leader as peace talks were due to start has provoked a diplomatic freeze between Islamabad and the Washington, and Nawaz Sharif, the Pakistani prime minister, is expected to call a meeting of his security cabinet discuss a response.
Mehsud died on Friday evening when two missiles slammed into his car as he arrived home from a meeting to discuss the negotiations.
Members of the movement’s shura, or advisory council, have been meeting to appoint a replacement but have been forced to change locations frequently,
Shahidullah Shahid, the main spokesman for the Pakistan Taliban said a permanent replacement had not yet been chosen.
“Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of the supreme shura, has been appointed as temporary head,” the spokesman told the AFP news agency, adding that prayers for Mehsud were still going on.
The death of such a senior terrorist leader is a huge success for America’s covert CIA drone programme.
Mehsud, who carried a $5 million (£3.1m) price on his head, led an umbrella group of militias blamed for thousands of deaths across Pakistan.
However, Mr Sharif won general elections this year after promising to open talks with the Taliban.
The plan has received cross-party support and the government said three clerics were due to travel to the tribal areas to open a dialogue at the weekend – a day after Mehsud was killed outside his home in Danda Darpa Khel, a village in North Waziristan.
Rather than welcoming the elimination of a man responsible for so many deaths, government officials have rounded on the US, accusing Washington of violating its sovereignty and sabotaging peace talks.
Drone strikes are deeply unpopular in Pakistan despite being one of the most effective ways of curbing terrorism in a country where the rule of law does not extend far into the mountainous tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.
Ministers reacted with fury and said relations with the US were at risk.
“Every aspect of Pakistan’s co-operation and relations with Washington will be reviewed following the situation created after Mehsud’s killing,” said Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, the interior minister.
A US government official said talks with the Taliban were “an internal matter” for Pakistan.
The Taliban faces significant problems in finding a successor to the 30-something Mehsud. Any large gathering of leaders will likely be spotted from the air, bringing the risk of drone strikes.
Although the Taliban has said it will appoint a new leader within days, analysts believe those risks mean it could take much longer.
Khan Said – known as Sajna or uncle – is thought to be one of the frontrunners. An illiterate commander who was responsible for recruiting and training suicide bombers, he took over as number two in the movement earlier this year.
He comes from a faction with a history of making deals with the government and is thought to hold a pragmatic outlook that could help prospects of a peace.
Other contenders include Maulana Fazlullah, chief of the Swat Taliban, whose gunmen were responsible for the attempt to kill Malala Yousafzai last year.
Another possibility is Sheheryar Mehsud, from the same South Waziristan clan as Baitullah Mehsud, Hakimullah’s predecessor, who was killed in a 2009 drone strike.
Security has been stepped up across Pakistan for fear that the Taliban will launch a string of retaliatory attacks. Police and military have been put on high alert and checkpoints in the capital Islamabad have been reinforced by extra personnel.
Telegraph.co.uk
Post a Comment