Pakistani tribesmen reject US drone strike compensation
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, April 1, IRNA -- Families of those Pakistani tribesmen, who were killed and injured in a this month US drone strike om Friday, refused to accept the government’s compensation and demanded halt to the American drone strikes in the region.
The government had announced three hundred thousands each for those killed and one hundred thousand for the injured.
Over 40 tribesmen, including elders, were killed and scores of others were injured in the strike on a jirga of council of tribal elders in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan on March 17.
According to locals the 'jirga' was called to settle a dispute over the sale of mineral in the area.
The Pakistan army chief in rare reaction had strongly condemned the US drone strike on the innocent tribesmen.
In a harsh statement General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani had said that ‘such aggression against people of Pakistan is unjustified and intolerable under any circumstances’.
The Foreign Ministry had also summoned the US ambassador for a formal protest and PM Gilani also criticized the strike in a statement.
A day after the strike, tribal elders at a press conference in the northwestern city Peshawar had vowed revenge.
Thousands had stated protest demonstration in Miranshah against the strike.
The local administrator in North Waziristan, on behalf of the central government, had announced compensation for the families of victims and also for the injured. This is the first ever compensation announced for the families affected by the US drone strikes.
Three relatives of the victims Sherza Ali, Sher Dad Khan and Mir Akbar told a news conference in Miranshah, center of North Waziristan, press club on Thursday that they will not compensate, a correspondent who attended the press conference said on phone.
“We will not accept the money. We ask the Pakistani rulers to stop strikes by American spy aircraft in future,” the tribesmen told the joint press conference.
They also angrily reacted to checking by the security personnel at 13 points on the main road between Miranshah and Mir Ali, another main town in the region.
They said that the tribesmen are searched by the Frontier Constabulary, local militia and the army men at three points, causing difficulties for them.
They said the search is against tribal traditions.
They suggested that search must be carried out at one checkpoint.
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