Hakimullah already dead: Pak

The Pakistani security forces believe that new Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud is already dead and the terrorist group is using his “look-alike brother” for media interviews to give an impression that he is alive, media reports claimed here on Wednesday.

The Pakistani Taliban is following the tactics to save their image and curb infighting in the group, the reports cited security sources as saying.
The Taliban declared Hakimullah as their new leader after their chief Baitullah Mehsud, also a brother to Hakimullah, died in a US missile strike in the troubled South Waziristan tribal region on August 5. After his death, there were reports of a succession war within the Taliban with Interior Minister Rehman Malik suggesting that Hakimullah has died in an armed clash with another possible successor Wali-ur Rehman. Both Hakimullah and Rehman later spoke to BBC and denied reports of infighting.

A “look-alike brother” of Hakimullah actually gave the interview to BBC some days ago posing as the Taliban commander, the media said citing sources.
Hakimullah was specially summoned from Afghanistan to head the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan on a temporary basis while the decision to appoint the new chief will be taken by Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Omar.

Pak minister injured
Pakistan’s Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi, a vocal critic of the Taliban, was on Wednesday injured in a brazen assassination attempt when gunmen opened fire at his car in the heart of Islamabad, killing his driver and wounding a bodyguard.
Two motorcycle-borne gunmen attacked Kazmi’s car with automatic weapons as he was leaving his office in the religious affairs ministry near the busy Melody Market in Islamabad shortly after 3 pm, witnesses and police officials said.
The brazen attack occurred a short distance from a large police station though witnesses claimed policemen did not react as the gunmen fired a volley of bullets into the car.
The assault was apparently well-coordinated as the gunmen killed the driver by shooting him in the head before firing at the minister.