HYDERABAD, Nov 8: Leaders of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl and Jamaatud Dawa on Friday lambasted the latest US drone strike that killed top Taliban leader Hakeemullah Mehsud and believed it was aimed at thwarting Pakistan government’s attempts to hold talks with the militants and dissuade them from violence.

They feared the killing would fuel more terrorist activities in the country in which innocent people would die.

JuD divisional amir, Faisal Nadeem, branded the United States as a terrorist country which had imposed an unjust war on Muslims.

The US drones crossed into Pakistani airspace at will to decimate innocent people without fear of getting caught, he said.

He was addressing participants of a rally taken out by his organisation here in protest against drone attacks. The rally started from main JuD office on Tulsi Das road and culminated outside the press club.

He criticised the timing of the latest attack and said when Pakistan was all set to hold negotiations to persuade militants to end terrorist activities the top Taliban leader was taken out by a drone purposely to sabotage negotiations.

He said that Mehsud’s killing had raised fears the militants would shed more innocent blood to exact their revenge.

He called for bringing down the drones and urged the government to decide its future course of action.

SUKKUR: JUI-F central secretary general, senator Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, has said the latest US drone strike that killed the top Taliban leader has derailed the government’s efforts to start negotiations with militants.

Talking to journalists at a press conference in Ghotki on Friday, Mr Haideri said the US went ahead with the attack despite knowing about Pakistan’s peace overtures to Taliban.

It proved only one thing; the attack was purposely made to sabotage the talks, he said.

About the local bodies’ elections, he said although the party believed the polls would not be held in a transparent manner it would still would take part in the process.