This photograph taken in June 2012 shows Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of the supreme shura, and appointed as temporary head of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in the Waziristan tribal area near the Afghan border. PHOTO: AFP
Mehsud, who had a $5 million US government price on him, was killed along with four cadres in North Waziristan tribal district near the Afghan border on November 1.
Shahidullah Shahid, the main spokesperson for TTP said a permanent replacement had not been chosen yet.
"Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of the supreme shura, has been appointed as temporary head of the TTP," Shahid told AFP, adding that prayers for Mehsud were still going on.
The killing of Mehsud sparked a furious reaction from the government, which accused Washington of sabotaging fledgling efforts towards peace negotiations with the Taliban.
Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar said a group of clerics had been ready to go and meet the TTP to initiate talks, which have been backed by all major political parties, when the drone struck.
Shahid refused to say there was no chance of the talks going ahead, but accused the government of kowtowing to Washington and cutting a deal to "sell" the militants.
"Nobody in history has ever negotiated with slaves," he said.
"We were waiting for a meeting, while the army and government was sitting with the US finalising deals to sell us."
And he stopped short of vowing revenge for Mehsud, who took over as TTP chief after founder Baitullah Mehsud in a drone strike in 2009.
"Time will tell whether we take revenge of his martyrdom or not," he said.
In the past, the TTP has responded to its leaders being killed with deadly violence.
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@Khan: You sound like a warrior, which the military needs, not behind but up front in line to martyrdom. But remember the children of the martyred suffer more pain than the Martyred himself.
Rex Minor
@Khan: Strategic depth...
@wali khan: How naive you are pretending to be ! As if Taliban and Terrorism in pakistanis because America started testing drones on civilian !
@Faisal: TTP is a collective noun. It's fine to use as plural.
@The Failed Rebel: Strange that you have not recognised me. I am coming from the future of your people which is awaiting you. Take the initiative, education is what enlightens humans with the knowledge of the universe which is in the scriptures and awaits those who use their brains and try to decypher them. Wars have been and are the source of violence and not of Peace!!; Reconciliation and accomodation with those of different ideologies and cultures is what the people living on this flat earth need to survive and progress. Goo luck, Pakistan has a lot to catch up with which they lost due to the colonial occupation.
We learn from history that man can never learn anything from hstory,(Hegel)
Rex Minor
Just like Africa has become a country where most pharma companies around the world in the name of giving free medicines and test new medicines,Pakistan has become a country where US can test there machines like Drones,bombs,etc are working correctly !!
who will get punished from the revenge of taliban's?? poor Pakistani's. NOT a single Online tribune reader (including me) or any ELITE class. nor any american or drone operator... American's are keeping themselves save and why would they worry about us!! its our politicians responsibility, our politicians are not going for full operation so that our army suffer and our people suffer as well. Lets hope is Pak army go with full force came successful otherwise, the common Pakistani will suffer. Peace talk can be an option but to those only who will let down all there activities and surrender under Pakistani law. if not operation is then the only option. I am amazed who the people comment here, sitting in decorated room, on a laptop in a comfortable chair, they think they know the country better. I have not a single doubt that our elite class is worry about losing their ownership on Pakistan. they have built this nation for themselves and now are worried for change in ownership. they damn care about the suffering of a common human being.
ONE wonders, WHO the he'll is TTP? WHO created such monastery set up? WHO are the financiers of this organization? WHAT exactly it's motive, if they think that 180-million people would follow what they want or say, than they are day dreaming. If they are soo against America than logically they should cross 7-sea's and go there to fight, why hiding in caves n yelling? WORST part is WHY any Pakistan government even think necessary to talk with these people (if thats what they think of themselves)? IF Pak-army wish to handle these mad .... Surely, 180-million people would be behind it's forces. No matter what happen Pakistan n it's people cannot just sit n let these outfits rules.
Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani (DBUH) - Drone be Upon Him
Taliban Shura short lists one guy but suddenly another guy appears and claimes that he has killed more innocent Pakistanis. Shura selects him and then another guy shows up with more proof of murders. This process is going on and on and on.
@Kasif: This is not a replacement in any sense.! Let me interpret the announcement in accorance to their tribal structures. The man who represents the political as well as the Tribal power will keep the function of the Field commander in the interim until the most suitable field commander has been selected.
Rex Minor
@The Failed Rebel: BTW, Peace on WHOSE TERMS???? The TTP do not believe in democracy, women's rights, education of girls, music, CRICKET, etc etc! The TTP DO believe in imposing their vision of Islam by the barrel of a gun! Please tell us how eager you are to live under Taliban rules!!!
so, next Drone target identified ! its good that Drones are cleaning the mess, since Pakistan cannot do it themselves !
@ammar shafique Taliban are fearless.
Then why have they been hiding in caves for the last ten years?
No one is talking about our sovereignty... We have become a country where everyone plays their dirty games and test their advanced machines... Good sign of globalization...
The only thing I find impressive in this epidode is the photo with the news buletin, the group dressed up as 18th cetury warriors with 20th century weaponry, the level which is denied to the people of Pakistan. Bravo for the people who in their history were never defeated by the foreign force and remained capable to improvise and manufacture their own weaponry in thei territory while in the entire Indo Pak sub-continent the anglo saxon colonialists prevented the natives to either study or learn the mechanical skills during the period when Europe was undergoing the industrial revolution.
Rex Minor
@Rex Minor: @zayeph: I don't know from where you two come, but both of you and Sexton Blake are the only ones who see education, infrastructure development, health facilities and happiness as the only means to counter the Taliban ideology. I share the same opinion, so I thank you for having the vision of saving civilians lives in the cross-fire. Several of those hastily supporting war take no measure of the consequences that happen later, I am sure once they had seen closely how lives are destroyed in a war, they would never dare to take action than it is absolutely necessary. There has been enough killing of civilians in Pakistan forces/Taliban cross-fire already. Peace is a positive step, regardless if one is in an advantageous position or not.
@ Raj USA
Dear sir. Pakistan is a very strange country with a peculiar type of Rule of Law and Due Process of Law. That Mullana, Mr Sufi Muhammad was arrested after his incognito return to Pakistan and was set free by the court of law. He then instigated his son in law Maulana Fazlullah, Amir of TTp Sawat Chapter to turn this beautiful valley into inferno. After the military operation in Sawat in 2010, Sufi Muhammad was again arrested but was set free in 2012 to enjoy a vip status oncce again.
Lets hope the new leader is stupid enough to admit to killing American's - that should insure a drone with his name on it.
@Ahmad Khan: You are right. It is the sanity of the citizens of the nation that will take it forward. These halfwit politicians that come forward with disgusting statements defending hardcore criminals responsible of murder, destruction of resources, much more, is unbelievable.
TTP has appointed an interim leader for the time being as two strong contenders namely Nisar and Imran have emerged who would be considered for the top post after due consultations.
Ohh interim vacancyy!!!!! Sethi sahib please apply!!!
I see trolls from the east of the border keep on saying that Pakistanis should deal with them with iron hands, sure, Yeah and Pakistanis are the ones who will bear the brunt and more over these are the people who wants to keep the pot boiling in Pakistan and keep Pakistanis busy with their internal security while not paying enough attention what they are doing to Pakistan on the eastern border, why would they be firing every day across the border although LOC is a disputed area and manned by UN peace keepers. No government is keen to negotiate with the terrorists but what is the alternative now, we will never find out the alternatives to this perpetual bombings and killings if we don't sit down and talk to these ruthless people from TTP. They know that they could never impose their brand of Islam on the nation of 180 million people and there got to be some middle ground where some peaceful outcome could be reached. Pakistan does need internal peace and stability, so the government could concentrate on economy and I am sure that with the determination, the economy could be put on sound footing. Also never forget the history in regard to our eastern neighbor, never ever forget 1971 and never ever let it happen again. Believe me this time period of turmoil will pass soon, Pakistanis are a resilient nation and has survived the last 66 years in spite of the animosity of some of Pakistan's so called neighbors and I am sure it will survive another hundred years, don't let the gaurd down, some of Pakistan's neighbors and so called allies and friends are the worst enemies this nation could face.
We send greetings to the Amir of Pakistan. Hope Indo-Pak peace process is not derailed due to ongoing insurgency led by a fringe group whose political wing is based in Islamabad and military wing based in Rawalpindi.
Attention All Drones: Your next target is selected and available for a strike!
Finally our Kaptaan has someone whom he could send a congratulatory message. He was having sleepless nights if TTP is obliterated whom his TIP is going to talk to.
Can the tribune please stop giving this CULT so much credit and front page coverage. They really don't deserve it
@Grammar Nazi: No, it is never correct. This is English, whether a collection or not, it should be "appoints", and also early in the article, "(TTP) have appointed" should be "has appointed".
I agree with Faisal that ET should let the Grammar Nazis go from its staff.
It will make no difference, kill another they will recruit 2 more. No body is going for root cause of this. And we cannot just bomb that area. We have been fighting from last 10 years end result is more talibans. Only possible solution is deal give them something take their weapons and then educate them. While blocking their supply lines. Of-course timing of this drone is proving that Imran khans stance was right, they don't want peace in Pakistan.
Few yeas ago a mulla led some 2000 boys to Afghanistan to fight with the talibans or to become suicide bombers there. All these boys lost their lives there and not even one boy returned back to Pakistan. No political leader, mulla or Imran Khan ever condemned that, nor did anyone say that the parents, relatives and friends of these boys would take their revenge on the mulla who sent them to Afghanistan.
Offsprings of ABU JAHAL have to be deal with theway they treat innocent people
Interior minister Chaudhry Nisar said a group of clerics had been ready to go and meet the TTP to initiate talks . If your going to negotiate with someone you send someone who works for you - not the enemy. The fact that the govt was going to send a "group of clerics" tells me that they either weren't serious or are just clueless (maybe both).
Khurram: That is exactly the point. If this was so, nobody would have become after Naik Muhammad back in 2004. It of course didn't happen that way.
I come from one of the strangest countries in the world. The death of a terrorist who has killed thousands of innocent Pakistanis is condemned by our government and the media. Never heard of any such country in the world except for Pakistan.
We were waiting for a meeting, while the army and government was sitting with the US finalising deals to sell us
Really? You forgot you are a terrorist organization taking pleasure in killing innocent people. TTP should be wiped off the face of earth. And their supporters in Afghanistan intelligence should be dealth with an iron fist
Actually using "appoint" is ok here since the assumption (implied) is this was a collective decision of several TTP members. Good discussion.
The quick replacement makes me wonder if the drones really killed him don't you think?
drones just multiply them, theres always civillians dieing it drone attacks, what these guys would do is pretend to care for the family and try getting their male family members to join them. stop drones and the enemy will stop. simples.
@Khurram:
The people of Pakistan are now u for the winter fireworks! It is tme that Pakistan Government take control of the situation and bring peace to the land of pures!!
Rex Minor
@Faisal:
There is nothing wrong in the above heading. You may not be accustomed to English newspaper headings. it is a common practice for newspapers to omit certain words ( to make the most of the space available) In the above case the full heading would have been " TTP to appoint interim leader: Spokesman" But it is a common practice amongst English newspapers to omit the word "to" and write "TTP appoint interim leader: Spokesman" You can check other English newspapers , I am quite sure they will have the same heading..
Imran Khan is also a better option as TTP CEO
Seeing the love of Government for the TTP, it must now extend the services of Election Commission of Pakistan so that they can elect their new head.
We hail US for their great work to kill the war criminals of this country, blotting the peaceful name of Islam. Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan have shown a pathetic view of the world where they are ready to compromise with murderers of thousands of innocents. There should be no mercy to these Taliban leaders and their supporters. Please carry on and rid them all including their new leaders. Pakistan has no future without their complete and entire elimination. I'll be surprised if US will pay heed to Pakistan's artificial concerns for jeopardising the so called peace process. There can be no peace until Taliban's complete leadership is killed or brought to justice and hanged. Enough is enough Nawaz Sharif.
Drone....come and get this guy Asmatullah Shaheen.....no one from TTP would then dare to become leader
This Nawaz Sharif is proving that he is a closet Taliban, by reacting badly to Mehsud's death. What is there to negotiate with people who have sworn to destroy your country? He should instead be awarding a Sitara-e-Jurat to the drone operator who pressed the button.
Please correct the grammatical error. It should "appoints" in the headline, instead of "appoint". Please also fire the editor!