Following the death of Tehreek-e-Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud from a US drone attack on Friday, Pakistan is on high alert for retaliatory attacks. The TTP has announced its temporary head Asmat Ullah Shaheen Bettani.
Bettani said that they had been waiting for the much talked-about peace talks, but the government killed Hakimullah instead. According to TTP internal sources, a meeting of 60 commanders was held on Saturday in North Waziristan in which 46 favored Khan Said, alias Sajna as the new head of the TTP. Differences over who should now lead the TTP however surfaced delaying the selection of a new leader. Analysts say that the TTP is dominated by the Mehsud tribe and that it will, therefore, not accept a leader outside of the tribe making Khan Said a favorite as belongs to the Mehsud. Others however have pointed out that some in the TTP view Said as having a soft-spot for Pakistan and for supporting peace talks, all of which may slim his chances of becoming the new chief.
The 36-year-old belongs to South Waziristan agency, and is part of the Shubi Khel clan of the Mehsud tribe. He is a resident of Dawa Toi village and has 2 daughters and 2 sons. Khan Said is thought to be a close friend the dead, Waliur Rehman. Khan Said was the senior most of a 4 member shura headed by Waliur Rehman.
He has no formal schooling or religious education, but has been known to be a talented leader. Said was also the mastermind behind the massive jailbreak of insurgent from prison in the town of Bannu in 2012, freeing 384 prisoners. He was also involved in planning the 2011 naval base attack in Karachi.
