Pakistan’s Islamic party condemns US plan to expand drone attacks
March 20th, 2009 - 5:10 pm ICT by IANS ( Leave a comment )
Islamabad, March 20 (IANS) Pakistan’s main Islamic party has reacted angrily to US media reports about Washington’s plan to expand drone attacks against the militants in the country, IRNA reported Friday.
According to reports, US President Barak Obama’s administration is considering proposals to expand drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas to include the southwestern Balochistan province.
US drones regularly fire missiles at suspected militant hideouts in Pakistan’s Waziristan area. Recently, these attacks were expanded to cover areas in Orakzai and Bannu.
US media reports said Taliban suspects have moved from Waziristan to Balochistan area to enter southern Afghanistan for attacks on the NATO forces.
Deputy chief of Jamaat-i-Islami Senator Khurshid Ahmad expressed serious concern Thursday over reports of the US plan to expand operations in Pakistan and to conduct more cross-border ground operations. In October, 2008, the US launched its first ground attack against the militants in Pakistani territory.
Ahmad said the US has failed to defeat the peoples’ struggle against foreign occupation in Afghanistan and is now keen on destabilising Pakistan.
“US policies in the region are in complete disregard of peoples’ sentiments as expressed in the resolution passed by the parliament last year. “It seems the government has failed to effectively deliver that message of the parliament to the American leadership. Neither it is implementing that resolution in letter and spirit,” he said.
He added that the report needed to be taken seriously to ensure that no further violation of national sovereignty takes place.
He warned if the drone attacks are allowed in Balochistan, discontent and anger among the Baloch people would increase.
- Pakistan says no to US drone strikes in Balochistan - Nov 20, 2010
- U.S. drone strikes kill 25 suspected militants in Pakistan - Apr 22, 2011
- Five killed in drone attack in Pakistan - Nov 21, 2010
- Drone attack kills six in Pakistan (Lead) - Nov 21, 2010
- US drone attack kills four in Pakistan - Nov 26, 2010
- Nine killed in Pakistan drone strike - Jul 12, 2011
- Pak security forces kill over 43 Taliban in separate clashes in FATA - May 10, 2010
- US resumes drone attacks in Pakistan - Jan 12, 2012
- Four die in US drone attack in Pakistan - Feb 09, 2012
- 20 people killed in US drone attack in North Waziristan - Apr 22, 2011
- Drone attack kills three in Pakistan - Nov 03, 2011
- Five killed in Pakistan drone strike - Jun 04, 2011
- 10 die in drone strike in Pakistan - Feb 08, 2012
- 18 killed in Pakistan drone attacks (Lead) - Dec 27, 2010
- Pakistan may allow US military trainers: US media (Lead) - Jan 21, 2012
Tags: american leadership, barak obama, deputy chief, discontent, drone, drones, fire missiles, ground operations, hideouts, irna, islamic party, jamaat, khurshid ahmad, national sovereignty, nato forces, pakistani territory, southern afghanistan, taliban suspects, tribal areas, waziristan