Pakistan

Govt must clarify stance on drone strikes: Marvi Memon

PML-Q MNA says US violated Pakistan's territorial sovereignty severely by the drone.

Peer Muhammad March 21, 2011

ISLAMABAD:

An opposition lawmaker urged on Sunday the government to clarify its position regarding drone attacks reminding it of unanimous resolutions adopted by parliament denouncing and “prohibiting” such attacks.

In a letter sent to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, PML-Q MNA Marvi Memon said: “The United States has violated our territorial sovereignty severely by the drone attacks. We as parliament had pledged not to allow such drone attacks from occurring in the 14-point resolution signed by all of us some time ago. Despite such a resolve, your government has failed to protect the people from such attacks, clearly violating Article 9 of the Constitution.”

The letter was also sent to the speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the president of the PML-Q.

She said: “I believe it is also your responsibility to initiate a resolution...acknowledging that we are in a state of war with the US, thereby giving our armed forces formal approval for counterattack,” she maintained.

According to her, the resolution should be drafted along the following lines: “We the members of the Majlis-e-Shura take strict notice of the drone attacks of the US on our territory which we take to be a tacit declaration of war against Pakistan. Under such circumstances, we authorise our armed forces to take action against such attacks.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2011.

COMMENTS (18)

Faisal Awan | 13 years ago | Reply @ Raj https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2047.html?countryName=Pakistan&countryCode=pk&regionCode=sas&#pk Indian top 10% are more richer and lower 10% are more poor than Pakistan as per CIA factbook. BCCI was created to fund the Afghanistan war and with the end of Afghanistan war it also ended. It was closed on the charges of illegal money transferring, if has been the real case, then all the Dubai and Switzerland banks should be banned. But please tell me why 100 million are living on the street in India. See the link below and tell me who has more debt India or Pakistan and I am not saying it, its CIA Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2186.html?countryName=Pakistan&countryCode=pk&regionCode=sas&#pk

Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Faisal Awan: Yes and there is such thing as repayments!!!! ever thought of how this will be achieved? definately not thru your taxation policies, as hardly anyone seems to pay any and certainly not thru exports as selling few mangos and textiles product may just meet interest payments, so what geneious ideas do you propose for capital repayments? These are not some local banks who lend and they forget to collect or write off as bad debts!!!! which your banking system has plentiful and have grown accistomed too, but global lenders and they don't forget, nor do they like defaults!!!! go and check any rating agency's credit rating for pakistan, and the answer is there!!!! Yoiu guys have had this culture of borrowing and not worring about repayments, give a classic example of pakistani managed international bank, namel BCCI. Ring any bells?//

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Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Faisal Awan: So you are a number cruncher!!! well start with the basics first and take stock of india size and population in comparision to pakistans, then check out some facts in the global league tables regarding health care, education, social welfare etc. lastly feeding few hundred people free out of 180 million, is not really significant, as an accountant you should know that!! Go to any gurudawara in the world over and you will see them feeding that many peoples of all walks of life daily!!!! I am sure if you are an accountant, you must be able to realise the state of your economy and where its heading!! get off the honour brigade of pakistan and face some facts, because if educated people of the nation can not see the current dilema then aam aadmi has no chance, hence the quality of your rulers.

Faisal Awan | 13 years ago | Reply @ Raj Just Shut up! I am a Chartered Accountant, and fully under stand what budget deficit Pakistan have, and how to remove it. IMF loan is not for budget deficit but for only increasing foreign exchange reserves. You Indians have 100 million people living on the streets, your municipalities daily pick 100s of dead from the street. Only in 4th big city Rawalpindi, every one can see more than 12 places from where every one can get free of cost food. Even after the horrific earth quake of Kashmir in 2005, can't force our people to live on streets. go and see every one there is living in their homes. Yes there are few left from flood victims who are still in camps but will be in there home in one year time. Shame on India, the so called big economy where 100 million are living street footpaths

Raj | 13 years ago | Reply I never realised that parliamentarians were really so naive to think that all the activieties taking place in the country, are done without with the arrangement of the army, who really are the only institution that actually functions when it wants to, the rest is just a showcase to fool the people whose lives and welfare they represent...

Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @Faisal Awan: suggest you go and do your home work!! pakistan has a serious budget deficit problems , where by IMF has not even considered to issue a LOC, meaning a letter of comfort, So that they can actually borrow further funds just to provide basic needs for the people, let alone pay bills for simple things like utilities etc, without Uncle Sam;s help, you guys are history!!!! wake up!! and if you really are awake , then enlighten me as to what drugs are you on?? such a dreamer!! no wonder this country is in a mess!

Arsalan J. Sheikh | 13 years ago | Reply It's tragic that she did not develop the guts to demand this explanation when her party (PML-Q) was in charge and serving as Musharaf's fig-leaf of democracy-cover. Musharaf authorised and allowed the drone-strikes. Our armed forces allow the drone strikes to continue to this day, because that's where their funding and weapons comes from. Marvi, why do you ask these questions of the PPP, but not of our Armed Forces?

Mirza Ali | 13 years ago | Reply i totally agree with Marvi, she is true politician without any tag,she always speaks truth and for the people, we want all the attacks, target killings!

Hopeless | 13 years ago | Reply Our "leaders" will think about the drones once they get time from making money from NICL and Hajj schemes...and people will think about the drones when they will stop rallying or strikes in favor of those "leaders" And in the meantime let them destroy the whole Waziristan. Drone attacks can serve a purpose, they are the best solution for the problem of population increase in Pakistan. Take these attacks positively.

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply Whats the point asking the government what their stance is since the military leads policy regarding the US. Why dont you address Kayani and ask him to clarify what the strategy is? That however no politician will do, as this has nothing to do about drone attacks and has all to do with political opportunism to beat down the sitting government. The drone attacks started when your party was allied with Musharaf, what was your justification for the policy then?

Uza Syed | 13 years ago | Reply Who needs clarification about what to do with those bent upon destroying the very fabric of this state -------- they must be obliterated, converted into nothingness without any traces. We got to do it, anyhow, with drones or without ------ all these terror dens must be cleaned for ever ----- without any tolerance under any pretense of brotherhood or 'co-believers' ------ it's a bitter contest for survivor it's them or us and I have no doubts in my mind it has got to be them to hell.

Danish | 13 years ago | Reply The govt must also clarify stance on target killings in Karachi, more lives have been lost there than the drone strikes. We need to prioritise our issues. Pakistanis killing one another is much more serious. Drone strikes are being carried out by the consent of the Pak Army, by whose consent are the target killings being carried out??????

Khan G | 13 years ago | Reply I totally agree with Marvi. Yes we are in a state of War against CIA/Mosad trained TTP and now we are in War with US. Mass killing of civilians is total unjustifiable and should be answered back to the US. Our Pashtoons Declared a War against US and Revenge will be taken for the lose of innocent Lives. INSHALLAH

Faisal Awan | 13 years ago | Reply Bravo Marvi! You are the next Fatima Jinnah of Pakistan. We all Pakistanis are with you. Pakistan lived the period of American sanctions in 90s and showed good growth as well. We don't need their Aid of 1.5b Dollar per year. We have the budget of about 40b Dollar, we can sustain without their Poisonous Aid

Akhtar Rao | 13 years ago | Reply It was better if you would advise Mr. Mushrraf not to allow American the use of that toy ,,which was not with him. Useless hue-and cry---develop consensus among themselves first, then speak like that sound..... you have at the moment.

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply Ask Musharraf about drones, he knows better

Vertigo | 13 years ago | Reply Marvi, you say it like it is. Bravo to you and all those sincere to Pakistan. There is a dignified way of managing the affairs of state and that is the only way worth taking.

John | 13 years ago | Reply Any such resolution would be considered as a formal declaration of war by PAK against US, and US media will have a field day. What a non sense statement.

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