KARACHI, July 30: Condemning the recent death of Abdullah Mehsud, a Karachi-based chieftain of Wana’s Mehsud tribe claimed on Monday that the militant was shot dead by security forces. He demanded that the Chief Justice of Pakistan take suo moto notice of what he termed “the mysterious death” and order a judicial inquiry.

“Abdullah Mehsud was the victim of an extrajudicial killing,” said retired major Zaman Mehsud at a press conference at the Karachi Press Club. “We have got information that he did not blow himself.”

Reportedly, the militant blew himself up when the house at which he was staying in Zhob was raided by security agencies. However, Zaman Mehsud alleged that the government carried out the killing to appease Washington. “He was in a deep sleep at the house of Shaikh Alam Mandokhel in Zhob when security forces raided the place and shot him dead,” said Mr Mehsud, “His dead body was a gift offered to President Bush and company by our government.” Claiming that Abdullah was one of the scores of people belonging to the tribal areas who have died in extrajudicial killings conducted by the Pakistani authorities, Mr Mehsud added that “the entire tribal region is dotted with military kiosks, which is an open intervention in the personal life of the tribal people.”

According to Mr Mehsud, Abdullah was the great-grandson of Jungi Khan who was killed fighting the British, and the entire family was known for fighting against British imperialism.

Mr Mehsud also commented that, “We don’t know what al-Qaeda is but we respect the Taliban because they participated actively in the Afghan jihad, established permanent peace in our area and established an Islamic system in its true and practical form.”