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Drone attacks: US has to respect Pakistan's red lines, says Raza Rabbani
Rejects views of US officials, says drone strikes still a violation of Pakistan sovereignty, UN charter.
Chairman of the all-party, bicameral PCNS Senator Raza Rabbani said drone attacks must stop. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE
ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on the National Security (PCNS) Raza Rabbani on Wednesday made it clear that the drone strikes, despite remarks of some senior US officials, were a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, and had to stop.
Speaking on a point of order during the Senate proceedings, Rabbani took an exception to a statement by some US officials who had tried to validate drone strikes under the international law. He said that the US would have to respect Pakistan’s sovereignty and the drone attacks have to be stopped.
“The US [administration] is giving lip service to respecting sovereignty of Pakistan. They have failed to honour the voice of our parliamentary resolution which was passed unanimously. This [resolution] is the will of our people as the Parliament represents the people of Pakistan,” Rabbani complained.
He said that when a drone attack was carried out inside Pakistani territory after the parliamentary recommendations were finalised, he had summoned a special meeting of the PCNS and condemned the attack.
“We have also convened a meeting next week. We have also summoned the Foreign Office officials for a briefing on the recent dialogue with US ambassador (Marc) Grossman and what steps they had agreed to implement the parliamentary recommendations,” he added.
Rabbani said he expected that the US administration would respect the will of the people.
“We have made abundantly clear that Pakistan considers drone attacks a violation of our sovereignty,” he asserted. He said he was taken aback when he came to know that some US officials were trying to validate drone attacks.
“Drone attacks are not only a violation of our sovereignty but also a violation of the charter of the United Nations (UN). The US should read the UN report on drones. If they have red lines, the US will also have to respect our red lines,” he maintained.
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When u will learn the loss? get out of this unnatural alliance and friendship.
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If you want sovereignty, respect UN resolution which says all countries must rid of terrorisms inside their country. Yes, yes but we are part of it.
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Un report clearly states: “CIA drone strikes in Pakistan ‘illegal’.
Not only are they illegal they have failed to have the desired impact;They have spurred furthur recruitment , wreaked havoc,promoted radicalization and polarization in an already troubled society.
Having said that Government/Army should also realize that their clever strategy to wage a proxy war on foriegn lands via non state actors has backfired terribly,and they should finally show that much needed political will to weed out these undesired elements which they nurtured for so long,from our soil.
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If you want sovereignty, respect UN resolution which says all countries must rid of terrorisms inside their country. Yes, yes but we are part of it.Recommend
Shoot them down if you’re serious or quit moaning
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Get out of this unnatural alliance, Only Quran can guide us to the right path
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What about Pakistan respecting America’s red line on terrorism first? The drones will be gone as soon as the terrorist camps are gone, I bet. It is not cheap for the US to monitor the wilderness and launch drone attacks either – and won’t do it without ample reason.
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Dramas by Pakistani politicians and generals to get even more dollars from the Americans.
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I guess he hasn’t figured out that the USA administration’s priority is to protect American troops which is the “will of the American people”.
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The PPP is US puppet. They should shut up, and let Imran be president.
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USA never agred to stop the drones. If you consider this act as a volation of your sovereignty, what will you do?
Oh and by the Mr. Rabbani your own security people have confirmed that the site of the current drone was an abandoned girls school occupied by Uzbek and Tajik jihadis. Does the presence of Uzbek and Tajik jihadis in what is supposed to be a girls school not violate your sovereignty even a litle nit?
What about the Haqqanis whom your army protects and rms? Do they not violate the Afghan sovereignty?
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@Pakistan politics:
Pakistan will be the loser whether you are in or out of this “unnatural alliance”. Now, at least you have some, if only a minuscule, say. If you are out, it will be just one ultimatum and no more. Drones will continue to rain death and destruction on you. Think again and again before taking any step which you will only regret later.
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@Pakistan politics:
So you believe it is in the interest of PAK do be an enemy of the US. If that is true it would simplify the relationship.
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Not without respecting their red lines. The lack of respect of those is exactly why drones are being used.
You get what you give.
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Given that PAK pays no attention to the requests of the US, I cannot think of a single reason why the US should pay attention to what PAK wants.
Now if PAK wants to stop this and they sound as if they do, then why not use the PAF to stop these attacks.?
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No red lines for ‘non-state’ actors i suppose?
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Pakistan should get rid of all bad guys hiding in Tribal areas once and for all.
Even in urban area of Lyari in Karachi,even after 6 days of 2000 plus police persons used in operation, the bad guys have not been flushed out.And look at the arms they have: rocket launchers, RPG,automatic guns. Please clean Pakistan of all bad guys and let our children have a good future
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it is now too late to say mr.raza – america is friend and our ‘leaders’ sitting in big palaces treat these ‘ masters – your guess as good as mine………..
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The entire province has been lost to the strategic assets. So, who is violating the sovereignty of the state, the assets or the drones ??
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