A UN team concludes that US drone strikes violate Pakistan's sovereignity. PHOTO: FILE
The team investigated the deaths occurring due to US drone attacks in Pakistan.
UN special rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism Ben Emmerson also acknowledged government of Pakistan’s aversion towards the drone strikes.
Ben’s statement said that during a three day visit, Pakistani officials had told him that as many as 400 civilians were killed by the US drones.
A Pakistani analyst Imtiaz Gul helped Emmerson’s team during the investigation. He presented them with case studies of 25 drone strikes that had allegedly resulted in many innocent deaths.
The US drone issue has been discussed over the years but US officials have always averted claims that drone strikes kill civilians and they have also alleged that Pakistan’s assent is always there.
Pakistan government has consistently called the strikes to be counterproductive causing greater animosity amongst the people, contributing in creating new militants than the good they do in killing militants. Additionally they violate Pakistan's sovereignty.
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@Asad: @indian and @Jat do let us know when the ‘sovereign superpower’ of india is able to get the two Italian marines back who murdered two indians.
The Italian marines are back, in less than 10 days since you raised this question. This is how democracy should work, the government bowing before the will and pressure of the public opinion.
Unfortunately in Pakistan, there has not been a clear-cut public opinion against terrorists, religious extremism, sectarianism and against the fondness of Pakistani Generals to act as mercenaries for different countries at different times.
This one message is for all those PAKISTANIS expressing opinion about the justification of Drones to kill terrorists who are very well embeded in Pakistani soil. U have no energy nor power to dismantle these terrorists. Join WISE ONES around the world, discard the path of TERROR and the world will be with you. Remember that U should proove that U left the path of TERROR for GOOD. Then U will see the entire world will be with U and feel the difference from the current ISOLATION without proper water, healthcare and any other dire human necessities. U have to leave the PATH OF TERROR. Even if U r not terrorist, dessist the terrorists fromthe path of TERROR. That will make a WHOLE LOT DIFFERENT how U r recognized and patronized. Go ahead and take the PATH AND PROMISE THE OTHERS DO THE SAME. Success will be Urs.
Emmerson, a human rights rapporteur has been tasked byby the United \Nations human rights council who after thorough investigation has blasted the American stance in which they claimed thast United States could not launch drone attacks without tacit support from Pakistan.
At last, United nations,After properly investigation has admitted the fact that the attacks being carried out by unmaned predator drone air craft is not only violation of states sovereignity but also against the international law enacted by the world nations unanimously .
The stance adopted by the Pakistani leadership was open and clear ,says United nations Impartial and secret investigation..
Pakistan did not convey any green signal during decade long issue to the State depart in regard to using the drones by it. on the tribal region and the territory bodering Afghanistan.
Pakistan always described it a open violation of its svereinity integrity stability of the country,.
Drones strikes are also a violation of international law.
Some concerned quarters who alleged Pakistan's consent involving in the attacks has been proved baseless,groundless and senseless.
After appearing the inquiry report on surface,United States should now refrain to repeat previous mistakes and aviod playing with innocent'slives.
@jat @foreign leg @andy @cautious and @everybody else in support of drone attacks! its very hard for me to comprehend how i feel after reading all of your comments and remarks, you guys aint no different from the people that you abhor - TALIBAN. if you say jus coz taliban killed so many people we have the right to kill inocent people too, no matter we eliminate taliban or not, its like if you have a mouse in your home, jus to kill that mouse you burn down the whole house and be proud of killing the mouse in the process.... wheres the sanity??? Infact i think you guys are more dangerous because you guys are educated people and you know how to be bad and then cover it up!!! and lastly when its none of your concern why or how would you ever care... for you guys its jus some stupid blog and some stupid news....
UNO are you informing us or giving us news and what can you do in this regard?If just can condemn verbally then please don't waste your precious time on trivialities and if you can do any thing then please take solid and practical steps to refrain USA from drones' strikes....
US finds US doesn't give a crap about Pakistan's sovereignty.
At the end of the day, that's all that matters...
At long last the UN decides to investigate the US drone attacks in Pakistan. Where was the UN and Ben Emmerson during the height of the drone attacks. They were hiding under the bed and whispering to each other, "This drone is a good thing."
Now, when the US is withdrawing everybody's morality acquires an awakening. What about the loss of INNOCENT LIVES AND COMPENSATION?
The end count is evident, Pakistan itself did not vehemently protest against the drones. Salams
@Madiha R.: "Glad that they realized it BUT what compensation are they going to give to Paksitan?"
Your army has received billions of dollars worth of free weapons since the WoT started.
@SINI: "In any Country and any International Law, every Country HAS A RIGHT TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS against THREAT even if it VIOLATES SOREIGNITY. That was made clear by the"
US feels it has a right to protect itself from Haqqanis in FATA who attack their soldiers. /but since Pakistan's sovereignty is being violated, why do the Pakistanis not ask their army leadership to defend the Pakistani citizens? - or playing golf and running shaadi houses is all that you expect from them?
However UN cannot find an American who gives a damn what the Paks think. If Pakistan cared about it's sovereignty then Pakistan should not have protected OBL Mullah Omar and the Taliban. Pakistan choose to make war on the USA in 2002 . Bit Late to complain about it now
@SINI: @Jat:
If the terror is originated in any country the COUNTRY that was affected has a RIGHT TO PROTECT ITSELF BY ALL MEANS.
I agree. No argument.
Now is time for global countries precisely member states of the United nations to draw attention on Pakistan's concern and provide it a space,support and assistance and the government going to come into existance resulting in forthcoming general election ,so that it may deliver a stable peace on its own territory without any foreign interference on behalf of regional powers.
@Asad: Italy has invested $20 billion in India. We turn the screws and see how they react. . Not only that but in 3 years if we achieve 8% growth, we will overtake Italy in the size of our economy.
A great news or Pakistan military, they can cut down their military budget by 50%, and another 25$ if UNO looks after the LOC in Kashmir. Voila, Pakistan does not realy need the military to protect its sovereignty.
Rex Minor
Another example of poor logic on the part of a UN functionary. The Pakistani government gave the go ahead. They did so in private, for domestic political reasons. This is well documented.
And reported in Pakistan too:
http://tribune.com.pk/story/172531/wikileaks-kayani-wanted-more-drone-strikes/
Not only did they give permission, but also requested increased numbers of strikes.
The fact that the Pakistanis later publicly lied is irrelevant.
@Jat: In any Country and any International Law, every Country HAS A RIGHT TO PROTECT ITS CITIZENS against THREAT even if it VIOLATES SOREIGNITY. That was made clear by the President of United States of America not only this one but even in the past. If U look at HISTORY it is made it clear there. If the terror is originated in any country the COUNTRY that was affected has a RIGHT TO PROTECT ITSELF BY ALL MEANS. That is the LAW OF SURVIVAL.
Well the terrorist ain't gonna kill themselves.
Another drone investigator who never bothered to step foot in either Waziristan - could have saved the UN some money and just called Islamabad and asked them if they gave the US Permission to use drones (and we all know what the official answer to that is).
Ah at last. But at least it is official now. weather they stop droning or not, they assume responsibility. We are not in option to negotiate.So wait and see !
@Jadugar: There is a certain term for the practice of violation with mutual consent, with prearranged compensation paid by the violator to the party being violated. This being a family newspaper, I don't want to use it here.
"The head of the United Nation (UN) team tasked with investigating drone strikes in Pakistan declared on Friday that the attacks infringe upon Pakistan’s autonomy" If I follow it correctly, UN says drone attacks infringe on Pakistan's autonomy, NOT sovereignty.
@All indians: You can't call yourselves mature nation if you keep poking your noses where it does not belong. Mind you own business. Like always i will not find my comment anywhere as it will hurt the feeling of target audience of ET. Just have a courage to condem what is wrong.
@Asad: do let us know when the ‘sovereign superpower’ of india is able to get the two Italian marines back who murdered two indians.
Valid point. It will indeed be a shameful situation for us if those Italian marines are not brought back and tried in our courts. But before you start celebrating, keep following the news, they will be back.
@G.Din : I second you.
Pakistan is as much a party to the drone strike as the US, Without mutual consent the US would have shown much constrain and perhaps avoided so many civilian casualty. Though these strikes have reduced the the number of terrorist but with with a heavy price of civilian deaths. Some would say its the cost of war.
@indian and @Jat do let us know when the 'sovereign superpower' of india is able to get the two Italian marines back who murdered two indians.
@Madiha R.: BUT what compensation are they going to give to Paksitan?
Spoken like a true Pakistani - it is all right for the US to violate you, as long as you are suitably compensated for it.
no one can violate my soveriegnity without my own knowledge and help.The fault lies wholly ( if not solely ) with Pak for 'sharing' its soverignity with US.
Glad that they realized it BUT what compensation are they going to give to Paksitan?
I am waiting as UN will soon take this report back...
How can US drones violate Pakistan's sovereignty when there is a tacit agreement between the two countries on drones? . Moreover when Musharraf himself claimed during his rule that Pakistan has no control over the tribal areas, how can Pakistan now claim sovereignty over those areas?
So maybe the UN you should now consider whether territory which is actually controlled by the Taliban is really part of Pakistan? Is sovereignty being violated - you bet - but I would argue it's the Taliban's sovereignty not Pakistan's.
Slow motion applause for the UN.
Finally!! They did!!
Duh!!!! Hindi saying: "Khoda pahard, Nikli chuhiya" (Much ado about nothing.) Tell us something the whole world doesn't already know. And what about what caused that violation of Pakistan's sovereignty. History does not begin where you want it to!
oh wow!!! we didn't know that
Wow took UN 10 years to realize . . . .
Maybe Pak parliament should pass a resolution asking US to stop drone attacks, which US will flush in toilet like before.
So what is the official position of Pakistan and its military ? To any outside observer it seems Pakistan knows it is going to be violated anyway; so why not just lay back and enjoy it ?
Otherwise, the acceptance of both material and financial aid does not make sense. Pakistan, as a nation, has decided to allow itself to be violated willingly. And this policy allows no scope to protest against any such violation in any forum.