New Pakistani Taliban chief meets reporters to prove he is alive

Oct 5, 2009, 13:40 GMT

   Islamabad - The new Pakistani Taliban chief has met journalists in Pakistan's lawless tribal district of South Waziristan to refute claims by Pakistani and US officials that he might have died.

   Hakimullah Mehsud allowed five reporters to interview him in the remote, mountainous district on Sunday on the condition that it would be reported only on Monday.

   'You know it's risky but I chose to present myself to the media to prove that the government's claims about my death are only propaganda and lies,' Hakimullah was quoted as saying by Ishtiaq Mehsud.

   Ishtiaq and other reporters were escorted by masked Taliban fighters to an unknown location where to their surprise Hakimullah was present.

   'We were only told by Taliban that we could interview an important leader but we did not know it was Hakimullah,' Ishtiaq said from Dera Ismail Khan, a city that is located close to South Waziristan.

   It was the first public appearance by the Taliban head since he took over following the death of his predecessor, Baitullah Mehsud, in a US drone attack in early August.

   Hakimullah vowed to avenge the killing of Baitullah and other Taliban leaders in recent US missile attacks.

   US media cited US intelligence officials last week saying that they believed that Hakimullah Mehsud had died during infighting between rival Taliban factions.

   'Look, I am alive,' said Hakimullah as he smiled at the journalists.

   Ishtiaq said the journalists were asked to wait after the interview as Hakimullah left the house. 'I don't know, he might have hurried to some nearby bunker, perhaps fearing a drone attack,' he added.

   The meeting came as the Pakistani government was preparing a major assault against Baitullah's group, which has been responsible for dozens of bombings across the country, including the one which killed former prime minister Benazir Bhutto in late 2007.