Islamabad:
The Pakistan government has received information about fighting between two rival militant commanders vying for the leadership of the local Taliban and that one of them had been killed, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Saturday.
The fighting broke out between Hakimullah Mehsud and Wali-ur-Rehman - both contenders for leading the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in the wake of the reported death of
Baitullah Mehsud in a US drone attack - and one of them was killed, Malik told reporters.
Malik said the government only had information about the development and it could be confirmed "once we have seen the body and have material evidence". He said he was hopeful that such evidence would be obtained in the next 24 hours.
TV news channels reported that the clash occurred in South Waziristan during a meeting of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan 'shura' or supreme council to choose a successor to Baitullah Mehsud.
There were unconfirmed reports that Hakimullah Mehsud, a deputy of Baitullah, was killed in the fighting while Wali-ur-Rehman was injured.
Geo TV had initially reported that both Hakimullah and Wali-ur-Rehman died in the clash.
Earlier in the day, Hakimullah had telephoned media organisations and claimed that Baitullah was alive and safe.
Hakimullah also claimed Baitullah had gone into hiding as part of the Taliban's "war strategy".
He said the reports of Baitullah's death were a ruse to lure him out of hiding so that he could be targeted by the drones.
However, Interior Minister Malik said there was solid information that suggested Baitullah was killed in a drone attack on Wednesday. The real picture would emerge soon, he said.