PESHAWAR: The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan has claimed that the government resorted to sorcery to cause headache and body pain to its slain chief, Hakeemullah Mehsud. Hakeemullah sought spiritual treatment from an Arab faith-healer prior to the Nov 1 drone strike in which he was killed, the TTP said.

In a statement on the death of its leader, the TTP said Waliur Rahman, Saeed Allah, Jalal, Wali Badshah and his uncle Khair Mohammad also lost their lives when his car was hit by three missiles at the entrance to Mehsud’s home.

Towards the last days of his life, Hakeemullah had received spiritual treatment, which improved his health and he had been able to step up militant activities, the statement claimed.

“Although he had no symptom of any disease, Hakeemullah’s health had been steadily declining because of the government’s sorcery,” the TTP alleged.

The TTP paid tribute to its slain leader for “masterminding a suicide bombing” by a Jordanian fighter at a CIA base in Khost, Afghanistan, in December 2009 and the car bombing attempt in New York’s Times Square by Faisal Shahzad in May 2010.