TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud. PHOTO: AFP
Mehsud, who was under a $5 million US government bounty, was killed when a drone targeted his car in a compound in North Waziristan on November 1.
The death of its young, energetic leader represents a major setback for the TTP, a coalition of factions behind some of the most high-profile attacks to hit Pakistan in recent years.
But it also threatens the government's efforts to begin talks to end the TTP's bloody six-year insurgency that has left thousands of soldiers, police and civilians dead.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar condemned the US strike as a "drone attack on the peace process", saying a team of religious clerics was about to meet the TTP with a view to starting peace talks when Mehsud was killed.
"Brick by brick in the last seven weeks we tried to evolve a process by which we could bring peace to Pakistan and what have you (the US) done?" he said.
"You have scuttled it on the eve, 18 hours before a formal delegation of respected ulema (religious scholars) was to fly to Miranshah and hand over this formal invitation."
A State Department official declined to confirm that Mehsud had been killed and did not specifically address Nisar's comments, saying the issue of whether to negotiate with the TTP was an internal matter for Pakistan.
"The United States and Pakistan continue to have a vital, shared strategic interest in ending extremist violence so as to build a more prosperous, stable and peaceful region," the official said.
Pakistan's foreign ministry said it had summoned US ambassador Richard Olson to protest over the drone strike that killed Mehsud, and another that struck a day earlier.
A ministry statement also stressed that despite the drone strike the government was "determined to continue with efforts to engage the TTP".
Islamabad routinely condemns drone strikes as a violation of sovereignty, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged President Barack Obama to end them during White House talks in October.
Pakistan's press voiced surprise at Nisar's strongly-worded outburst, with several newspapers urging the government to seize the chance to strike the TTP while they are leaderless.
Mehsud's death is the third major blow against the TTP by the US this year, following the killing of number two Waliur Rehman in a drone strike in May and the capture of another senior lieutenant in Afghanistan revealed last month.
The TTP's supreme shura met Saturday to decide who should now lead the network.
Candidates under consideration include Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of the central shura, and Khan Said, alias Sajna, who became number two after Rehman's death in May.
Senior Taliban commander Azam Tariq dismissed media reports that Said had been elected as "speculation", telling AFP a decision would be made in the next few days.
COMMENTS (36)
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@Waseem: Tribune is looking to sell ads by catering to more audience through controversy and then popularity. I agree with you, the face of Mehsud send chills down the spine of thousands of loved ones of the innocents he murdered in cold blood.
You can make as much adorable as you can...the image of the dead! But don't forget thousands upon thousands who were killed on his orders. It's inhumane to praise the murderer no-mater what.
@Dina Warrier: He has not been put in jail for helping in finding OBL, please check your facts
@jg: What led to that conclusion? As usual, Is Pakistan again plotting against India? Just make sure you and your family are not in Pakistan to receive India's answer.
I wonder, no sorry, GOP and the establishment have never been on the same page. To me GOP just talks the talks while the establishment walks the walk.
Someone told me, Pakistan is the only country in the world, where the movie audience roots for the villain and not for the hero !
Hakimullah was sworn enemy of United States and Pakistan. He proudly accepted responsibility of thousands of murders he committed both in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He is killed for the crimes he had already committed. There was no guarantee that he was going to lay down arms and present himself in the court of law. Those who are speculating that the peace talks were going to be successful are not sure themselves. Therefore we should kill these criminals even we are talking with them. They deserve no mercy. Americans did the right thing and so we should do the same.
@Imran: And time is not far when india will be worse.
Hello Tribune, can please take off his picture from your front page, please. thanks you!
One drone attack and a armed to teeth and Nuclear Power Nation looses all its steam.
Breaking News: India is going to give 2013 Dronacharya Award (an award presented by the government of India to sportsman) for Goodwill hunting. to President Obama. Dronacharya was one of the most respected gurus of India,
Pakistan as a nation have misplaced ideas on what is right and wrong. Pakistan gives shelter to, Osama. US kills him. Pakistan reacts by protesting this action and jailing the doctor who helped the US. The Taliban shoots a young girl, Malala, for standing up for girls’ right to education. The whole world is in awe of her and lavishes awards and invites her to talk at the UN. Pakistanis on the other hand scorn her. A bodyguard kills a Minister, Salman Taseer, for being Christian and promoting religious freedom. The whole world condemns this action, but the bodyguard is hailed as a hero, even by Pakistani lawyers. Now the entire Pakistani establishment is protesting against the killing of one of the most dreaded terrorists who killed thousands of innocent Pakistanis. This country and its people are the joke of the century.
@Dina Warrier: Pakistanis by large are thrilled at the killing of the monster BM. It is unfortunate for the country, that the political party that governs today has some sort of an understanding/agreement with these horrific terrorist organisations which are despised by most for their intolerant, extremist, murdering ways. Please do not accuse Pakistanis of displaying sympathy for them.. it is the PMLN and PTI - mad men all.
The govt of pakistan should be grateful that the drones are eliminating terrorists on their soil - for the govt is either not capable,reluctant or for reasons best known to them does not want to get 'rid' of these terrorists.To shed crocodile tears for this terrorist , scum of the earth,who is responsible for the slaughter of innocent people is just being hypocrite.Did you shed any tears for the innocent people this monster slaughtered?have you asked the loved ones of these 'shaheeds' what effect this has had on their lives ? So cut the crap and behave like good little boys, otherwise there will be no sweets for you-understand ;-)
@A J Khan: The Americans are not going to stop giving more gifts to Pakistan since they are fully aware that all this high drama by Pakistan government and politicians against drones is only to please Taliban against revenge attacks by them.
@Dina Warrier: Terrorist state? A state that has lost of its own more citizens and soldiers to terrorism than any other....it's AMERICANS who will never be happy at pakistani sacrifices...in my hometown of Haripur a soldier (May Allah SWT accept his matyrdom) lost his life to this war...his family said that that they know it will never end and that they have told their other sons to quit their duties. Why? Because they have relatives in the U.s. and UK who tell them when the news comes in the media of some terrorist attacks or something happening in pakistan they label EVERY pakistani as a terrorist (even the soldier fighting these terrorists) and many are for a war in pakistan and label every pakistani as uncivilised, and deserving of this menace.. In fact many support drones all over pakistan and have called for alienation of the country, but have they forgot these people are fighting their lives and over 40,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives in this so called war on terror? You people only use that young soldier as an appeasement of your statements, but you don't care that soldiers and our people will continue to loose their lives because there will be no peace without a ceasefire.
Also Dina....I'm not giving no excuses for Osama bin Ladin, but don't go crying about Dr Afridi when America is putting all its efforts in getting Edward Snowden & Chelsea Manning charged for treason? Why are politicians in pakistan upset about this terrorist's death? Because it will lead to more pakistani deaths and deaths of more soldiers and if he was killed by a pakistani, maybe it would have been different, who knows...but now we will sit here crying at our fate because when there was a ray of hope of some peace in MY province these terrorists and America's help by creating more terrorists with the attack will only create more menace in MY province and we will be the victims and no one will care about is as usual..... My comment will never be posted but as a lover of peace I pray to Allah SWT that maybe one day our sacrifices of common people (forgot the corrupt govt) will be respected and understood.. in Sh Allah
@bilal: It ceased to be an internal matter of Pakistan when he killed 8 CIA operatives and took responsibility. @Zeeshan Khan: Pakistan does not pay for the arms it gets from US for the most part.
@bilal:
Yep, Pakistan is cradle of peace by supporting terrorists.
The irony is that the Pakistani government is or have to show anger to pacify the public. What does that tell you about Pakistan?
Second, which part of $5 million bounty the Pakistani’s didn’t understand? Simply it means, if capture him dead or alive you get $million and possibly a Green Card. If we get chance to capture or kill him we will take the shot, just like Osama.
Is it so damn hard to understand.
This guy has killed thousand’s innocent people within Pakistan so, this anger by public officials is telling the world, we shelter and support TERRORISTS.
The world hunts for Osama Bin Laden; Pakistan shelters him. The world rejoices at the death of Osama Bin Laden; Pakistan jails the doctor who helps find him. The world is relieved at the death of the chief of a terrorist organization; Pakistan is agitated. By openly displaying so much sympathy for the terrorists, it appears as if Pakistan is hankering after the label of a terrorist state!
The sub-editor who gave this headline should have at least read the story. US did not say a word in this story on the impression of scuttling the talks. The State Department declined to confirm Mehsud's death and reiterated official policy:
Listening to Ch. Nisar I thought that he is going to announce " day of mourning" coupled with lowering of national flag on death of Hakeem Ullah Mashud ......
I think US should claim Pakistan Government's reward of PKR 50 million for killing Hakimulla Mehsud.
@bilal:
Anti American blather - so who is the big buyer of American weapons in Asia? Iran? India? China? Two countries that get American weapons are Japan and Pakistan - Pakistan doesn't pay for theirs and Japan maintains a small army.
No body knows whether Taliban are ready for talks or not.Govt. should not spoil them much.I think the govt. is now in a better position for talks.Drones are the only dread for Taliban.If drone strikes are halted once they would not resume and Taliban will become emboldened and strengthened.US is not a party to the talks why to stop drone attacks.
'Pakistan press has voiced surprise at NIsar's strongly worded outburst' Not only the Pakistani press but even Taliban is in a state of shock for finding such a senior minister as its die hard supporter who has beaten its biggest apologist Taliban Khan hands down. No wonder,Taliban has postponed nomination of its new chief finding new potential contenders.
Because it Happens only in Pakistan...yehi hota hai na bahiya!!!
“Brick by brick in the last seven weeks we tried to evolve a process by which we could bring peace to Pakistan and what have you (the US) done?” . What have they done? They killed a terrorist responsible for killing 8 American's and 40,000 Pakistanis - they also captured his assistant who was in Afghanistan arranging a sanctuary deal so they could launch attacks against Pakistan. . Portraying this scum bag as someone who was on the verge of making peace with Pakistan is absurd. Classic Pakistan - pandering to the extremist.
@rasgullah: Thankyou & welcome. Few more gifts would be welcomed
Pakistan is joke of century
if its internal matter of Pakistan than why US is interfering into Pakistan. I believe that US never wants to see peace in Asian countries which are the real procurers of their weapons. shame on you guys for becoming the major threat to humanity
@Zeeshan Khan:
Yes and Pakistan is the most peaceful country in the world, and no terrorists accused of mass murder in other countries have ever been found here.
A Diwali gift from the US.
US does not want peace in Pakistan. I would rather say anywhere in the world. US just want to sell arms and cause destruction.
The U.S. should have also added that it does not comment on internal Pakistani propaganda designed for public consumption.
United States does not care!!! Period. It has its own interests, and will protect its citizens, home and abroad, as these terrorists preach violence in the name of religion. The killing of Hakimullah Mehsud, is based upon information from inside, who knew he is located and what time he will come out.