Stop the drones

Published October 19, 2012

AFTER a drone attack in Miramshah last week, another drone targeted a seminary at the Bilandkhelo area of the Orakzai tribal region and killed at least 18 people while injuring 15. The same day … at Hassanzo valley of Orakzai, eight people were killed and 20 injured. … [T]he people killed at the seminary were young students and one victim was their teacher. But the government has failed to protest over the killing of such innocent people.

The drone attacks … occurred at a time when the whole nation is condemning the attack on the award-winning student, Malala Yousufzai, in Swat….

Despite the fact that the Pakistani nation and government are against the menace of terrorism, the US is not ready to stop the drone attacks.…[They] are carried out in violation of territorial laws and undermine the sovereignty of Pakistan. … This policy will prove counterproductive in the war on terror….

President Asif Ali Zardari has already informed the US that the ‘do more’ policy cannot be implemented as Pakistan has already rendered numerous sacrifices; such words will amount to insulting the martyrs’ sacrifices. If the US wants to win the ‘war on terror’ it will have to stop the drone attacks forthwith. …Pakistan needs no dictation from anyone because it knows its national duties and is doing well in this regard. — (Oct 16)

Selected and translated by Ali Hazrat Bacha.

 

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