Confusion still prevails over the announced killing of the terror kingpin
The death of top Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud by a US
drone attack has been by and large hailed in Pakistan. It not only sent a sigh of relief amongst the people who have been braving suicide attacks for many years but was equally greeted by the media.
Business Recorder, Pakistan’s top financial daily’s headline said: ‘Eliminated.’ The most influential English daily Dawn’s headline was ‘Good riddance, killer Baitullah.’ The News, another national daily was a bit cautious. Its headline was, ‘Is messenger of death dead?’
Pakistan’s top defence analyst and scholar Dr Hasan Askari-Rizvi believes Mehsud’s death would not only bring solace to the vast majority of Pakistani people but also boost the morale of Pakistan army that has lately been pretty active against the Taliban. “Baitullah was the leading Taliban leader who dominated the political scene since 2007. His death is positive news for Pakistan and provides the Pakistan military with an opportunity to assert itself in South Waziristan while the Taliban movement is passing through a leadership transition,” he told TSI. But Dr Mutahir Ahmed, Professor of International Relations at the University of Karachi and an expert on Afghanistan has a different view. “It’s true there will be a setback to the Taliban in the transition phase but it will have little impact in the long run since Taliban’s command and control system is in Afghanistan,” he said. “If he is really dead, it will be the first high value target killing in an operation against the Taliban and subdue criticism against Pakistan army that has been blamed for failing to kill the top leadership of Taliban,” he added.
Tauseef Ahmed Khan, Professor of Mass Communication at Karachi’s Federal Urdu University and a well-known political analyst said: “If Baitullah is really dead, Benazir Bhutto’s murder case will be put in cold storage since he was the main accused in the assassination of Pakistan’s former prime minister.” He was of the view that even if Baitullah Mehsud is dead, it won’t be difficult for the fundamentalist section of Pakistan establishment to create another Baitullah.
According to media reports, Mehsud, 35, was killed in a missile strike by an unmanned US drone on August 5. No wonder Taliban leadership initially denied that Mehsud has been killed but on August 7, a top Taliban leader Kafayat Ullah confirmed that Mehsud and his second wife have died. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister also confirmed that the dreaded Taliban leader was dead. “According to my sources, the news is correct,” Qureshi said. “He has been taken out.” Enjoying support from senior al-Qaeda leaders and with an estimated 20,000 fighters at his disposal, Mehsud emerged on Pakistani scenario in 2005 after signing a controversial peace deal with the Pakistan army and has been carrying out suicide bombings across Pakistan, including capital city Islamabad. He was also accused of assassinating two-time PM and chairperson Pakistan People’s Party, Benazir Bhutto, an accusation he denied. In March, the US put a $5 million bounty on his head followed by another $650,000 by Pakistan government but he remained elusive. While it is largely believed that the US drone has successfully hit the target on August 5, a BBC report on August 8 said, Taliban Commander Hakimullah Mehsud claimed the reports about Mehsud’s death were “ridiculous.”
He told the BBC the reports of his death were the work of US and Pakistani intelligence agencies. He said the US and Pakistani intelligence agencies wanted Mehsud to come out in the open so they could achieve their target. He said he would issue a message in the next few days.
The death of top Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud by a US
drone attack has been by and large hailed in Pakistan. It not only sent a sigh of relief amongst the people who have been braving suicide attacks for many years but was equally greeted by the media.Business Recorder, Pakistan’s top financial daily’s headline said: ‘Eliminated.’ The most influential English daily Dawn’s headline was ‘Good riddance, killer Baitullah.’ The News, another national daily was a bit cautious. Its headline was, ‘Is messenger of death dead?’
Pakistan’s top defence analyst and scholar Dr Hasan Askari-Rizvi believes Mehsud’s death would not only bring solace to the vast majority of Pakistani people but also boost the morale of Pakistan army that has lately been pretty active against the Taliban. “Baitullah was the leading Taliban leader who dominated the political scene since 2007. His death is positive news for Pakistan and provides the Pakistan military with an opportunity to assert itself in South Waziristan while the Taliban movement is passing through a leadership transition,” he told TSI. But Dr Mutahir Ahmed, Professor of International Relations at the University of Karachi and an expert on Afghanistan has a different view. “It’s true there will be a setback to the Taliban in the transition phase but it will have little impact in the long run since Taliban’s command and control system is in Afghanistan,” he said. “If he is really dead, it will be the first high value target killing in an operation against the Taliban and subdue criticism against Pakistan army that has been blamed for failing to kill the top leadership of Taliban,” he added.
Tauseef Ahmed Khan, Professor of Mass Communication at Karachi’s Federal Urdu University and a well-known political analyst said: “If Baitullah is really dead, Benazir Bhutto’s murder case will be put in cold storage since he was the main accused in the assassination of Pakistan’s former prime minister.” He was of the view that even if Baitullah Mehsud is dead, it won’t be difficult for the fundamentalist section of Pakistan establishment to create another Baitullah.
According to media reports, Mehsud, 35, was killed in a missile strike by an unmanned US drone on August 5. No wonder Taliban leadership initially denied that Mehsud has been killed but on August 7, a top Taliban leader Kafayat Ullah confirmed that Mehsud and his second wife have died. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister also confirmed that the dreaded Taliban leader was dead. “According to my sources, the news is correct,” Qureshi said. “He has been taken out.” Enjoying support from senior al-Qaeda leaders and with an estimated 20,000 fighters at his disposal, Mehsud emerged on Pakistani scenario in 2005 after signing a controversial peace deal with the Pakistan army and has been carrying out suicide bombings across Pakistan, including capital city Islamabad. He was also accused of assassinating two-time PM and chairperson Pakistan People’s Party, Benazir Bhutto, an accusation he denied. In March, the US put a $5 million bounty on his head followed by another $650,000 by Pakistan government but he remained elusive. While it is largely believed that the US drone has successfully hit the target on August 5, a BBC report on August 8 said, Taliban Commander Hakimullah Mehsud claimed the reports about Mehsud’s death were “ridiculous.”
He told the BBC the reports of his death were the work of US and Pakistani intelligence agencies. He said the US and Pakistani intelligence agencies wanted Mehsud to come out in the open so they could achieve their target. He said he would issue a message in the next few days.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2008
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