Pakistan

Musharraf approved US reconnaissance drones: PM Gilani

Gilani reveals that Musharraf gave approval for US drones to make surveillance flights over the country.

Afp October 22, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani revealed Friday for the first time that former military ruler Pervez Musharraf gave approval for US drones to make surveillance flights over the country.

"The previous government gave them permission for surveillance and reconnaissance flights by US drone aircraft but not to launch missile attacks," Prime Minister told diplomatic correspondents.

The United States does not officially confirm the drone attacks, but the campaign is unpopular among the Pakistan public who see military action on Pakistani soil as a breach of national sovereignty.

Gilani said "we will find out" when asked about reports that US drones use Shamsi base in southwestern province Baluchistan, but denied that drones were taking off from a military base in southern province Sindh.

"We have not provided them space (to fly). This is wrong and I have contradicted that drones were using Shahbaz base (in Sindh) for this purpose."

A covert US drone campaign has dramatically increased the frequency of drone strikes in the tribal belt in response to intelligence claims of a Mumbai-style terror plot to launch commando attacks on European cities.

Officials in Washington say drone strikes are highly effective in the war against Al-Qaeda and its Islamist allies, killing a number of high-value targets, including Pakistan's Taliban founding father Baitullah Mehsud.

But in Pakistan, anger over the attacks has fuelled reprisals from militant groups who have targeted NATO supply convoys destined for Afghanistan.

"We have repeatedly said the drone attacks are counter productive," Gilani told the group of local and foreign reporters.

"We want to have drone technology and also if they have any actionable intelligence, we want them to share it with us."

Mary Ellen O'Connell, a law professor at the University of Notre Dame in the United States, this week became the latest legal expert to warn that the drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and other countries violate international law and should be halted.

"The use of drones is causing really serious anger in Pakistan. I really seriously question the necessity for what we are doing," she told London think-tank Chatham House.

Although he did not specify bombing raids by unmanned aircraft, CIA chief Leon Panetta has been quoted as telling US media that the agency's expanding operations in Pakistan have taken "a serious toll" on Al-Qaeda.

Washington on Friday held out an offer of two billion dollars in fresh military aid to Pakistan, where it wants the military to do more to fight insurgents crossing into Afghanistan from the northwestern tribal belt.

The United States considers the area an Al-Qaeda headquarters and the most dangerous place on Earth.

At talks in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the United States had "no stronger partner when it comes to counter-terrorism".

Clinton said the military package, which is subject to Congressional approval, would come over several years and be in addition to 7.5 billion dollars in civilian aid the United States has committed over five years.

COMMENTS (7)

Ben | 14 years ago | Reply If Musharraf approved drone attacks only for surveillance then who approved drone bombing. If bombing was not a part of the deal then why the government can not stop it. Who do they thing they are trying to fool. Read more at: link text

Ahmer Ali | 14 years ago | Reply Assalam-o-Allaikum Warahmatullah.If it is accepted that Musharraf approved US Drone attacks in Pakistan then first do our present leaders have any written evidence about it or just this is verbal statement?Who dealt with USA on Kargil?And if Musharraf is guilty for this crime in your eyes then you stop these violent Drone attacks if you do have courage.Why are you allowing USA for more and more Drone attacks?Now Musharraf's regime has expired and you are in the power why don't you stop these attacks?You have spent approximately 2.5 years and Drone attacks are being increased day by day.Why are you playing the silent spectator's role before US officials on these innocent killings?Now the ball is in your court and you are the only responsible what have been doing in Pakistan.Correction is your first and foremost duty and responsibility not only objecting.Wake up our slept corrupt and NRO leaders.

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IZ | 14 years ago | Reply I don't understand why all this disingenuousness. The previous govt allowed drone attacks. The current govt. allowed an expansion of the drone programme. The army is on-board with these decisions. This is all common knowledge. Why all this pretence and lies and cover-up? Just tell the truth. Lets be openly honest and then have a real debate about whether drone attacks are an effective way to deal with our militancy problem. There is a very strong case to be made in favour of continuing these attacks in that they have been effective in degrading the TTP and Al-Qaeda leadership, which they have definitely done. Yet there is also a strong case to be made which says that they cause too much collateral damage and only help bring more recruits to the militants fold. And finally and most importantly, it must be understood that by themselves drone attacks will not solve the militant problem permanently as once you kill one set of leaders, new ones rise to take their place. So what is the long term solution? Our government and army must ponder this question. But while we continue to lie about the drones, this is a debate that will not happen. I don't understand the reasoning for this.

Aamir | 14 years ago | Reply I think we should thank our armymen who helped american killing our own ountrymen just to get few bucks for their own survival. New York times today reveleaded that our Pak army did extra judicial killing of 280 civilians just last year. What to talked about the recent killing of 70 civilians by our holy armymen. No investigation was done. Eating up 40% of budgeted amount coupled with foreign aides, we wonder who they are serving to. They rule us to exits but time is not far away when the country will rise up to fight with these dogs of war.

Akbar | 14 years ago | Reply And why is that there were only 9 attacks in Mush's time and 200+ in ur time especially when u claim that u disapprove it and he implicitly approved it ! U must accept that u are 20 times weaker govt then what Gen Musharraf was. Blaming Musharraf for all ur bad deeds will not work Mr. pM.

Shahid Shah | 14 years ago | Reply The previous government/set-up (not just Musharraf) allowed the US to perform reconnaissance flights in order to gather intelligence – in the irregular terrain of FATA - using drone technology that Pakistan lacked. Pakistan was supposed to act on any credible intelligence of militant activity. However, the US violated the trust and terms of the agreement by launching drone strikes without approval from Islamabad. However, the present government is a sell-out and has authorized strikes as well as hired guns (DynCorp) to run amuck throughout Pakistan. Moreover, they have handed over our political process to the likes of the US Ambassador Anne Patterson – the de facto Governor General of Pakistan. The only entity that has some semblance of independence is the Pakistan Army, but domestic (political) and international pressure is on to subjugate the military as well. Pakistan has been the largest contributor in terms of effort and lives lost in the international campaign against terrorism. It’s high time that the international community recognize Pakistan’s contribution and address Pakistan’s insecurities in Afghanistan and the region in particular.

S. Ali Raza | 14 years ago | Reply LOL... Now Mush will be pulling out more NRO facts from the hat :)

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