PESHAWAR: Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) have decided to appoint Khan Said Mehsud Sajna alias Khalid, the South Waziristan Taliban chief, as their new chief thereby leadership of TTP has remained kept in Mehsud tribe since its inception. Sajna is illiterate fighter having no background of modern or religious education and he belongs to tribe of Baitullah Mehsud. He was born in Zangara in Sararogh, a sub-division of South Waziristan. Aged 37, Sajna was a close friend of Hakimullah. Taliban circles claim that Sajna had been operating in Karachi and successfully finished the task of attacking Mehran naval base Karachi. He was also involved in year 2012 Bannu jailbreak in which the Taliban freed nearly 400 inmates.
Afghan war experts believe that TTP decision to install another Mehsud as chief confirms that TTP has become a political party instead of a guerrilla warfare outfit. It may be mentioned all previous chiefs were one family and one clan—Mehsud tribe.
The decision was taken during the meeting of the TTP Majlis-e-Shura (central advisory committee) which met at an undisclosed location in the North Waziristan tribal area on Saturday. Sajna received 43 out of 60 votes of the members of the TTP Shura.
The Shura was considering four names for the post which included Khan Said Sajna alias Khalid, Umar Khalid Khurasani (Chief of Mohmand Agency Taliban), Mullah Fazlullah (chief of the Swat Taliban) and Ghalib Mehsud.
