On Friday, Hakimullah Mehsud, Chief of Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was killed along with another TTP commander and his guard in a US drone attack in tribal areas of Pakistan. At times when certain Pakistani politicians deem his killing as a big blow to Pakistani government’s efforts to initiate peace negotiations with TTP, there are many who have expressed satisfaction over his killing. Former President of Pakistan, Pervez Mushuraf has said, “All peace-loving Pakistanis should be satisfied that a monster who had unleashed terror in Pakistan...is dead."

Mehsud is considered to be the man behind death of thousands of Pakistani citizens and security forces. He was believed to be the mastermind of suicide attacks in major Pakistani cities.

After the death of al-Qaida leader, Osama bin Laden, killing of Hakimullah Mehsud can be counted as another important counter-terrorism triumph for the US. He was wanted by the US government for his alleged role in 2009 suicide bombing in Khost province of Afghanistan that took lives of seven Americans, including CIA officers.

Drone attacks on tribal areas of Pakistan have been a matter of dispute between Pakistan and the US governments. In his recent visit to the US, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif urged the US authorities to cease such attacks. One of the pre-conditions of TTP for peace talks with Pakistani government has been discontinuation of drone attacks. Although after the killing of its leader, TTP would go for revenge rather than paying any attention to negotiations, drone attacks have been widely used in reaching high-profile Taliban terrorists on the other side of the border. Pakistan Ministry of Defense said last week that 317 US drone strikes in the country’s tribal areas had killed 67 civilians and 2,160 militants since 2008.

The death of Hakimullah Mehsud can be deemed a huge blow to Pakistani Taliban. But it would be naïve to think that TTP operations inside the country would stop with his killing. Hakimullah Mehsud had been appointed as TTP chief a few years back when Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a drone strike. It is expected that TTP would soon appoint another leader to continue their mission.

Now that Pakistani government’s efforts to enter into a formal dialogue process with TTP has been badly damaged with the death of Mehsud, it should be ready for more terror attacks across Pakistan. Such attacks can only be countered by taking strict security measures and at the same time targeting TTP’s safe havens in tribal areas of Pakistan.