The dead include Usman Punjabi, the abductor of British
journalist Asad Qureshi. Tension mounted between the Punjabi and Mehsud
militants after an Arab militant was killed in a drone strike, leaving behind
his widow.
"The widow was rich and after the incident of
husband's death she was alone. The Mehsud tribesmen took her into their custody
and were aiming to arrange her marriage to one of their own men. Usman Punjabi
objected and insisted she must be left to her own free will to select whether
she wants to marry into the Mehsud tribe," said a source who witnessed the
event.
After the Ramadan predawn meal on Saturday morning, all
militants belonging to Mehsud tribes and the Punjabi camp gathered in a local
school in Dande Darpa Khail in North Waziristan near Afghanistan to discuss the
widow.
The argument between the two parties intensified until
both parties pulled out their guns and opened fire. A total eight people were
killed, including Usman Punjabi.
"We have killed the spy," Mehsud's members
cried after killing Usman Punjabi.
Usman Punjabi was the abductor and assassin of former ISI
official Khalid Khawaja and also abducted former ISI official Col. Imam and
British journalist Asad Qureshi. Usman refused to release those he abducted
despite the instruction of Afghan Taleban leader Mullah Omar. The fate of
abducted is still unknown.
