Islamabad, August 19: Militant commander Maulvi Faqir Muhammad today declared himself as the head of the Pakistani Taliban, saying he was temporarily replacing Baitullah Mehsud, whom Washington and Islamabad have said was almost certainly killed in a drone attack, as the latter is “seriously ill”.
Maulvi Faqir, the commander of Taliban fighters in Bajaur tribal region bordering Afghanistan, contacted journalists on phone and declared himself as the new chief of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.
He denied reports of Mehsud’s death, saying he is “alive but seriously ill” and that is why he had gone into hiding. He claimed that there would be no impact on the Taliban movement even if Mehsud is martyred.
Maulvi Faqir said no meeting of the 42-member Taliban council known as a shura has yet been convened to elect a new head and reports about the meeting were baseless. He also said commanders Wali-ur-Rehman and Hakimullah Mehsud had no right to elect a new Taliban chief without consulting all militant factions.
US and Pakistani officials have said they are certain that Mehsud was killed with his second wife and several bodyguards during a Predator drone attack in South Waziristan on August 5. Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said authorities are gathering evidence to confirm his death.
Several Taliban commanders and spokesmen have denied reports of Mehsud’s death but have not provided any evidence that he is still alive.
—PTI