“This is a sheer violation of territorial sanctity and human rights as drone strikes have already killed more innocent people than terrorists in Pakistan,” said Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah. PHOTO: FILE
Senators from both sides of the aisle raised an uproar on Monday over the US government’s new Counter-Terrorism Manual which exempts the CIA from conducting drone strikes within the Pakistani territory.
Senators drew the attention of the house towards a story reported by the Washington Post which suggested that President Barack Obama’s administration would, through a new counter-terrorism manual, allow the CIA to continue striking al Qaeda and Taliban targets in Pakistan for a year or more.
Key upper house members, including Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Senators Syed Zafar Ali Shah and Raja Zafarul Haq and PML-Quaid Senator Syed Mushahid Hussain, asked the government to take up the issue with the UN Security Council before the new law is signed by President Obama.
“This is a sheer violation of territorial sanctity and human rights as drone strikes have already killed more innocent people than terrorists in Pakistan,” said Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah.
Shah further said that the government as well as the military should take serious note of the “aggressive step towards our country,” and added that the US on one hand considers itself a champion of human rights and on the other, violates rights by pounding drones on civilians. “This is a serious concern and it will have long lasting implications in the country and on the region as whole” he added.
Senator Raja Zafarul Haq said that despite the fact that Pakistan has rendered significant sacrifices as a frontline ally in war on terror, the US still treats it like a “Banana Republic”.
Senator Mushahid Hussain said that the US’ move was unacceptable and urged the Pakistani government to up the matter with the UN. Leader of the House Jahangir Badar assured senators that Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar would appear in Senate today (Tuesday) and brief them on the government’s strategy regarding the issue.
The Senate also unanimously passed a resolution recommending the government nominate assassinated Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa senior minister Bashir Ahmed Bilour for an international peace prize.
Meanwhile, JUI Senator Mohammad Khan Shirani and Baloch Senator Kalsoom Perveen criticised the federal government for imposing governor’s rule in Balochistan and requested it to be lifted soon. They also staged a walk in protest.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2013.
COMMENTS (18)
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It is just a propaganda to show that Drone operation is under control of CIA .In fact Drones are under the control of an expert international commettee of scientists operating from Nevada desert . It is an independent commettee to target those eliments who never follow the UN rules and regulation . Only fascilities and fund is being provided by the US govt. This commwttee recieves information from different sources and analyse it before fixing the target and hence there is limited chances of mistake . The work being performed by the commettee even ignoring the sovereignity of a country is not being challenged in UN by any country or being vetoed by any member of the security council . As this operation is not being done by any army therefore do not comes under any existing international law . This operation will continue till the menace of terrorism is in the region . If Pak army will do the job of Drone it is only then it's operation will reduce . .
See Campaign Against Arms Trade for more info if you want to know more.
I think that Pakistan is asking the Americans to handle the matter in its own way. Whether it means that Pakistan may commence the drone attacks or not is open to question. They have the technology and it knows that it is in hot soup. It will have to take measures against the hill-billies who are well funded (by big oil who are using that region to fuel its proxy religious wars) armed, organised and seemingly enjoying the protection of the state. The criticism that Pakistan is a platform to launch terrorist activities against other states now has to tabled. Pakistan is seen as 'unstable and nuclear' to boot, at least in certain European states
@numbersnumbers: Dear Numbers, The US is going bankrupt, has sacrificed millions of live, for reasons which have not been clearly enunciated, started wars instigated by shadowy foreign groups, various vested interests, and intelligence agencies, which certainly have no interest in the well being of Pakistani people. Apart from total economic incompetence, the US image is being seriously damaged as a result of its continuing nonsensical wars, which work against American strategic interests. So far the US has spent 3.7 trillion dollars on its sub-continent adventure. How could a few thousand hill-billies be so difficult to defeat? This then raises the question as to why Pakistan should be dumb or incompetent enough to try what the US has failed to do? A further consideration is that Pakistan is not leaving the sub-continent and will have to live with its neighbours well after the US has moved out, if of course the US ever does. Pakistan has to tread a fine line of diplomacy without unduly upsetting people. So far the US has used the excuse of 9/11 for its savage forays, without producing any believable evidence as to who was responsible. All that we have so far is the Abbottabad incident, and supposedly a body floating around the Indian Ocean somewhere. There is no hard evidence that would stand up in a court-of-law in regard to 9/11 or Abbottabad, but unfortunately, US/NATO/ZIONIST groups do not bother too much with diplomacy, or the truth. They just dive in and start wars. Perhaps that is why the US and it puppets have created in excess of 39 wars since WWII, have been responsible for several millions deaths, and have ravaged many, many countries. This kind of destruction makes the activities of the Taliban, and other so called terrorist groups in Pakistan/Afghanistan, who are defending themselves against Western invaders, pale into insignificance. I consider that Pakistan, with all its imperfections is on the right track. After all, if one looks at the appalling economic mess the Western pariah countries have inflicted upon themselves over the last few years, together with the destruction they have created in mostly Islamic countries Pakistan is starting to look like a role model, which many countries would do well to emulate, and of course the US in particular. My only criticism of Pakistan is that they do not repel the Drone attacks, which are mainly killing innocent people. Obviously, drone attacks do not appear to bother you.
@Sexton Blake: Wow, you say "When will the Pakistan Government get real and start protecting innocent Pakistanis from American brutality."? The better question is : When will Pakistani Government extend the sovereignty of the state to the FATA region, ending the need for drone attacks, especially after 30,000 plus Pakistanis have been slaughtered by these ASSETS OF THE STATE!
The answer is simple: instruct the military to shoot them down.
@Abrar R: It was funny to read that !
Did our parliamentary forget the fate of recommendations of Parliamentary Committee on National Security ans consequent unanimous resolution of the parliament for redefining the terms of engagement with the US after Salala check post attack by NATO helicopters. The hue and cry in the senate is nothing but a public relation exercise for domestic consumption.
What a sham democracy and sham dramatics these people put on. Utter waste of taxpayers money and Citizen's time. If only somebody had the courage to play their part with honesty.
@Dilip: Its been far longer than 2 years dude. Since 2004 I guess.
Pakistan as President of UNSC should do something immediately to stop such strikes on innocent civilians.
Who do the Senate think they are kidding. Pakistan has allowed the US military to routinely carry out their dreadful war crimes for 12 years now and has never taken any serious steps to stop them. It should be realized that a recent report from Stanford Law School indicates that the number of high level targets from drones is less than 2 per cent. However, the killing of children is much higher. When will the Pakistan Government get real and start protecting innocent Pakistanis from American brutality.
If Pakistan doesn't want the international community to "violate" its territorial sovereignty, it has to first eliminate terrorists based and nurtured in its territory from attacking other nations. Until and unless Pakistan does this, it loses its argument of sovereignty.
More Drones to Come..
LOLs at the uproar from both sides of the aisle. Senators furious? HAHA =) This one was funny. Thanks ET.
We need more drone attacks like a terrorist needs a hole in his head.
Why all the uproar now!. The drones has been striking for the last couple of years.
Pakistan has no guts to stop US or to wipe your terror from its own land. Pakistan's enemy is its own terrorist and the US. They never understand or agree that.