US drone strikes fuel anger in Pakistan
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, April 24, IRNA -- Anger against US led drone strikes is running high in Pakistan and now some government leaders have also joined the protests.
The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is presently utilizing lethal drones in Pakistan and Afghanistan, claiming that they are used to attack Taliban militants. However, many civilians have been killed in the US-led strikes so far.
Chief Minister of Punjab province Mian Shahbaz Sharif has said that the government is involved in the drone attacks and is still following the policies of former president General Pervez Musharraf.
He warned that, if need be, a long march will take place against the US led drone strikes in Pakistan.
Last month Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari had clarified to the Obama Administration that the US will have to end drone strikes in tribal regions.
Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan has announced to stage a sit-in against US drone strikes on 23rd and 24th April 2011 on path of NATO supplies near city of Peshawar that goes from Pakistan to Afghanistan.
Jamat-e-Islami Pakistan and JUI (Sameeulhaq) have also announced support For Imran Khan‘s sit-in.
Pakistan Army Chief, General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani, has told the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, that the US drone attacks spark public anger against the anti-terror efforts.
The drone attacks on Pakistan are increasing with rise of every new day. Many recent polls in Pakistan show strong opposition among Pakistani citizens to the drone strikes.
Majority in Pakistan describes these drone strikes as a sheer violation of country’s sovereignty.
Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir has said that ‘the United States needs to review its drone policy as attacks by these unmanned aircraft have become counter-productive’.
Reports say that since August 2008 so for more than 1500 people have been killed in over 250 drone attacks most of them in North and South Waziristan agencies.
The gap between drone attacks is becoming less and some times US drones strike their “targets” more then two or even more than three or four times in a day.
A large number of Pakistani has demanded that America must stop drone attacks on Pakistan which is creating hatred among the people and causing severe difficulties to the government to maintain peace and order.
The tensions between Pakistan and US are also heightening because of the reported US criticism of Pakistan's failure to launch a ground offensive in North Waziristan, tribal area.
Last year Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani had stated that “Pakistan’s patience has already run out on the U.S. drone strikes”.
Prime Minister Gilani disclosed that former president Pervez Musharraf had allowed the United States to carry out drone strikes in tribal areas for reconnaissance.
Top US officials consider these strikes very successful and believe that the senior Al-Qaeda leadership has been decimated by these strikes.
Analysts opine that it is the operation of US drone attack from the soil of Pakistan which has seriously aggravated the challenge of terrorism to Pakistan.
Majority of Pakistanis believe that war on terror has practically been an American war in which the Pakistani government went beyond limits of subservience to the US.
There is a lot of pressure on the Pakistani government from the public to come out of the alliance with the US in war on terror.
People say that the United States is following an unrealistic policy and would not be allowed to implement its agenda in Pakistan.
They say that US would eventually shift the centre of gravity of the war from Afghanistan to Pakistan and move militarily into Pakistani territory.
**1771
Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 30352729
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