 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
 |
 |
|
| Why does Zainuddin want to kill Baitullah? |
|
|
|
Sunday, June 21, 2009
By Hamid Mir
ISLAMABAD: The sudden projection and tall claims of an anti-Baitullah Mehsud militant leader from South Waziristan, Qari Zainuddin Mehsud, have created many questions in the diplomatic circles of Islamabad.
In interviews to various media organisations on Thursday, Qari Zainuddin and his deputy Haji Turkistan had alleged that Baitullah was an American and Indian agent, he had killed Benazir Bhutto and that the real Jihad was going on in Afghanistan, not in Pakistan.
Many diplomats contacted Foreign Office and Interior Ministry officials as well as media persons, seeking answers to their questions. Some Western diplomats were particularly confused over the claim that Baitullah was an American agent and that he had killed Benazir Bhutto. These diplomats were asking a question that if Baitullah was involved in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, does that mean that the American authorities were also involved in the conspiracy.
An East European diplomat also asked that on one side President Asif Zardari visited the Nato headquarter in Brussels while on the same day the Pakistani establishment allowed Qari Zainuddin to speak to the media, defending Jihad against Nato troops in Afghanistan.
Qari Zainuddin had claimed in an interview that he had developed differences with Baitullah after the death of Abdullah Mahsud. However, the story of the real differences between the two is full of allegations and revelations. According to some sources very close to Qari Zainuddin, the Pakistani establishment wanted to kill Abdullah Mehsud because he was involved in the kidnapping of two Chinese engineers. The establishment hired the services of Baitullah in 2005 against Abdullah, who had spent 23 months in Guantanamo.
Abdullah was finally killed on July 24, 2007 in Zhob. Close aides of Abdullah alleged that Baitullah had helped security forces in tracing him. One Masoodur Rehman Mehsud had once alleged that Baitullah had killed Abdullah. In the meantime, Baitullah killed Masoodur Rehman through a remote control bomb in South Waziristan.
Qari Zainuddin is the elder son of Masoodur Rehman Mehsud and he has decided to take revenge for the murder of his father.
He is heading the ëAbdullah Mahsud Groupí. He is a former Khasadar (member of the tribal police) and active in Shakai area of South Waziristan.
He killed Yahya, the younger brother of Baitullah Mehsud, on October 27, 2008 in Bannu. In retaliation, Baitullah killed a close aide of Qari Zainuddin, Muhammad Yousuf, on October 29, 2008 in Tank area.
Zainuddin recently contacted some Mehsud tribal elders but most of them are reluctant to cooperate with him. They question that if Abdullah was killed by Pakistani security forces then why the leader of his group was cooperating with the establishment? These tribal elders see no difference between Baitullah and Zainuddin. They fear that the establishment had first used Baitullah against Abdullah, and now they were using Zainuddin against Baitullah and ultimately both of them would be killed. They also fear that Qari Hussain will replace Baitullah as the new Taliban commander.
Many Mehsud tribal elders were contacted by the political administration of South Waziristan, seeking help for Qari Zainuddin. One tribal elder had reportedly told an official of the administration: “Don’t fool us. President Zardari is assuring cooperation to Nato and you are asking us to cooperate with a person who is asking us to go and fight Nato in Afghanistan”.
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
20 die as bomber hits Peshawar Judicial Complex
By Javed Aziz Khan
PESHAWAR: A suicide bomber blew himself up at the main gate of the Judicial Complex on the Khyber Road here on Thursday, killing 20 people, including three cops, and wounding over 50 others.
Hundreds of more |
|
|
Finally, dreaded NRO list is out and official
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) presented to the government on Thursday a list of 248 politicians and bureaucrats, who were alleged to have plundered hundreds of billions of rupees but were more |
|
|
Gilani to quit if wife proved NRO beneficiary
By Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
& Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: In what could be described as a clear message to the beneficiaries of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to resign from their posts, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilan more |
|
|
Multiple criteria agreed for NFC Award
By Imtiaz Ali
KARACHI: The Fifth National Finance Commission (NFC) meeting in the city on Thursday decided in principle to make population, revenue, backwardness and “inverse density population” (the less the population, the more |
|
|
Karzai sworn in for second term
KABUL: Veteran Afghan leader Hamid Karzai was sworn in as president on Thursday, pledging to fight graft and take control of his country’s security before his five-year term ends, after a fraud-marred election more |
|
|
|
US asked to take Pakistan into confidence on Afghan policy
KABUL: President Asif Ali Zardari has asked the US to take Pakistan on board regarding its new policy on Afghanistan, as it would also have an impact on Pakistan.
He expressed these views while talking t more |
|
|
|
‘India failed to respond positively on peace talks’
KABUL: Reiterating his strong stance that India is not serious in the process of dialogue with Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday underlined that India had not given Pakistan a positive more |
|
|
|
Dictators ruled for decades but civilians can’t complete tenure: Shahbaz
KARACHI: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Balochistan CM Nawab Aslam Raisani and Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah have vowed to make Pakistan a welfare state as envisioned by the Quaid-i-Azam.
Talking t more |
|
|
|
Vehicle escorting CIA director overturns
By Shakeel Anjum
ISLAMABAD: A vehicle of a sensitive security agency escorting US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Director Leon Panetta, currently on a ‘secret’ visit to Pakistan, overturned near the KRL Chowk at Islamabad Ex more |
|
|
|
Headley, Rana being probed for involvement in 26/11 attacks
By Sami Abraham
WASHINGTON: Two former students of Cadet College Hasan Abdal, currently living in Chicago, are being investigated for their possible involvement in Mumbai attacks last year in which more than 160 people were ki more |
|
|
|
PM’s wife not NRO beneficiary: NAB
ISLAMABAD: The National Accountability Bureau Thursday clarified that Fouzia Gilani, wife of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, was not a beneficiary of the National Reconciliation Ordinance as references agains more |
|
|
|
Recovered billions can make real difference
By Mehtab Haider
ISLAMABAD: The 160 million people can be provided major relief and even increase in electricity tariff by 30 per cent can be avoided if Rs 165 billion (conservative estimate) are recovered from the beneficiarie more |
|
|
|
China wants improved Indo-Pak ties
News Desk
BEIJING: The Chinese foreign ministry on Thursday gave the impression that it was merely interested in the gradual improvement in relations between India and Pakistan but was not trying to interfere with the pr more |
|
|
|
US supports Pakistan-India dialogue
WASHINGTON: A senior American diplomat has said Washington is supportive of resolution of disputes between India and Pakistan through dialogue.
“Of course, we all share an interest in stability and peace more |
|
|
|
Remarks on women pilots
News Desk
NEW DELHI: The Indian Air Force (IAF) vice chief, Air Marshal P K Barbora, on Thursday offered his apologies if anyone’s feelings have been hurt by his remarks on induction of women fighter pilots, and stressed more |
|
|
|
Nato must not walk away from Afghanistan, says chief
BUDAPEST: Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said on Thursday the alliance must not turn its back on Afghanistan as this would raise the threat from al-Qaeda and lead to insecurity throughout central more |
|
|
|
BoP scam accused sent on 12-day remand
By our correspondent
LAHORE: An accountability court on Thursday sent two main accused of the Rs 9 billion Bank of Punjab scam on 12-day physical remand, directing the NAB officials to produce them again in the court along with oth more |
|
|
|
briefs...
Eid holidays
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has announced Eid-ul-Azha holidays from November 27 to 30, said an announcement made by the PM Secretariat here on Thursday.
Seve more |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
