‘Dead Man’ Talking, Joking – but Focused on Vengeance

SARAROGHA, Pakistan — Hakimullah Mehsud, the newly anointed chief of Pakistani Taliban comes across as a no-nonsense man. Having taken over the reins from Baitullah Mehsud following his killing, the man appears in a video clip talking of revenge for the deadly US airstrikes that employ unmanned fighter drones and have struck over 70 times killing civilians amongst others in northwestern Pakistan in the last twelve months.

Perched on a blue blanket amid armed fighters, the man seems relaxed and is cracking jokes as also issuing threats - all in one breath. Just a day after his meet with the press, a suicide bomber hit the U.N. office in Islamabad. Followed by an attack on the Indian embassy in Afghanistan in double quick time!

Addressing reporters, he pooh-poohs the “difference between Taliban of Afghanistan and Pakistan” adding that the aim of his organisation has always been to free the nation from the “clutches of the Americans and the Jews.” His coming out into the open not only quashes the speculation that he was slain and dead but also underlines his no-holds-barred approach.

Gone is the shyness while facing the camera, a Baitullah trademark. He chatted & ate with the reporters spending a good seven hours with them. During this period two sheep were slaughtered for preparing lunch.

He even showed off his laptop and entertained the media with a video of an Afghan standup act in which a comedian takes a dig at jihadi groups. Next moment, he gets serious and shows the video of a pre-attack testimony delivered by a suicide bomber. Throughout all of this he is always flanked by fighters wielding grenades and rifles.

The man purported to be the brain behind the Lahore attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team and the Peshawar attack on the Pearl Continental Hotel earlier this year is also credited for protecting Osama bin LadenOsama bin Laden and a few other al-Qaida top-shots and keeping them in hiding.

Hakimullah seems to be one man determined to keep the media busy with a lot more to come from his side! Watch out!

- myVox