Hakimullah said Rehman had been appointed as the Taliban commander in the territory controlled by Mehsud tribes in South Waziristan.

Recently several media reports have said deadly infighting among the Taliban over the succession issue as well as vast financial assets controlled by Mehsud had ensued.

Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik claimed that Hakimullah had been killed in the factional fighting, but this version was denied by the Taliban.

The joint statement of the rival Taliban commanders might be a source of disappointment for Pakistani and US officials who had hoped extremist groups in TTP would split after Mehsud's death and turn into easy prey for Pakistan's security forces.