As the Pakistan government and some politicians condemned the US drone strike that killed Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud, security analysts welcomed it saying the slain militant leader was responsible for a string of devastating attacks.
“This is good news for Pakistan, a good thing. He was the most wanted terrorist who caused serious damage, death and destruction to Pakistan. He was a ruthless killer,” Maj Gen (retired) Athar Abbas, the former chief military spokesman, told PTI.
Without referring to Mehsud’s death, the Foreign Office yesterday strongly condemned the drone strike in North Waziristan, saying the attacks violate Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan too condemned the drone strike, saying it was an attempt to block proposed peace talks with the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan. He called for stopping NATO supply trucks bound for Afghanistan.
Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, in his immediate reaction, said last night that the drone attack was aimed at sabotaging peace talks with the Taliban. In a bid to control damage, he telephoned the heads of the Jamaat-e-Islami chief and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and discussed the issue.
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid described the drone attack as an attack on negotiations with the Taliban. He said “stopping NATO supplies will not stop the drone attacks” but talks should not stop as negotiations will usher in peace.
However, Air Vice Marshal (retired) Shahzad Chaudhry felt the talks were hit but would go on.
“One man has been taken out but the entire organisation remains. It will definitely have an impact on talks but the government will pick up the threads and, in the longer run, things will pan out,” he said.
Mehsud was on the US scanner for a long time, he said.
Abbas said, “Such killings have happened earlier also and a new leader had emerged. But yes, it is a setback for the Taliban. The talks are likely to be delayed.”
Commenting on the political response to Mehsud’s death, defence analyst Ayesha Siddiqa said, “There is a lot of difference between the response to the killing of former TTP chief Baitullah Mehsud and Hakimullah now.
“Imran Khan’s remarks have brought down any possible political consensus.”
Farrukh Saleem, a political analyst, said there appears to be “quite a divide” in Pakistan over the drone strike that killed Mehsud.
“Political parties seem to be against it as the strike came as they were preparing for peace talks. Then there is the strategic class, which feels it was probably good because he was the enemy of the state,” Saleem said.
The political class was confused about whether to appease the militants or to eliminate them, he claimed. “I feel they are looking at appeasement. But history is witness that appeasement has not worked,” he said.
The Pakistani Taliban named Khan Syed Mehsud alias Sajna as their new chief. The decision was made at a meeting of the Taliban Shura or council, media reports said.
Mehsud, in his mid 30s, and five more Taliban fighters were killed and two others injured when a US drone targeted a compound as he left a meeting in Danday Darpakhel area of North Waziristan yesterday.
The militants were buried at undisclosed locations across North Waziristan Agency today.