At last, Pakistan has raised the issue of drone strikes within its
territory at the United Nations security Council during discussion on
the situation in Afghanistan, as there was no clandestine accord between
Pakistan and the United States on drone warfare. Pakistan’s Ambassador
to the UN Masood Khan said drone strikes violate sovereignty, cause
civilian casualties and called for their cessation.
Earlier, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during his recent visit
to Islamabad endorsed Pakistan’s sentiments and categorically expressed
his concern regarding drone strikes and pointed out the adverse
consequences of these attacks. He condemned drone strikes by saying “Use
of armed drones, like any other weapon, should be subject to
long-standing rules of international law, including international
humanitarian law”.
It’s now almost a decade that United States has been operating covert
unmanned aerial vehicles (drone) strikes, controlled by the CIA’s
Special Activities Division, in Federally Administrated Tribal Areas of
Pakistan against Al Qaeda/Taliban militants. The attacks, initiated
during President George W. Bush tenure, followed by noticeably increased
strikes by Obama administration. Although, US has claimed that its
drone warfare is restricted as well as targeted, the reality on the
ground is quite different, the controversial drone strikes have been
blamed for collateral damage, killing civilians, violating sovereignty
as well as humanitarian law.
According to Britain’s Bureau of Investigative Journalism, CIA
carried out 400s drone attack in the tribal areas of Pakistan, killing
more than 3,500 people since 2004, including hundreds of civilians. It
also revealed that there were deliberate ‘double-hit’ targeting of
rescuers and funeral-goers by CIA.
Another study by Stanford Law School and New York University’s School
of Law exposed that the number of ‘high-level’ targets killed as a
percentage of total casualties is extremely low – estimated at only 2%.
The international community’s apprehension increased substantially,
surrounding the concern of civilian killings by CIA led covert drone
strikes. The United Nations Human Rights Council began an investigation
following Russia, China and Pakistan requested an action for aggressive
UAV attacks.
The CIA led drone warfare solved nothing and only inflamed the
situation further – morally, legally, and politically. Pakistan has been
protested formally as well as informally to the US to stop these
attacks by calling them counter-productive, as these strikes have done
an enormous damage to the peace process in the region and have taken
lives of innocent people. The inflexible Obama administration never
acknowledged unlawful attacks and Pakistan’s stance, but in reality
accelerated the strikes, consequently infuriating the circumstances.
These repeated attacks have created massive anti-American sentiments
throughout the local population. If truth be told, drone strikes have
helped militants, who use the emotions and anger of frustrated people as
their recruitment tool to raise more fervor for supporting their
terrorism activities and terrorist networks — thus caused extra
radicalisation in the society.
On the broader aspect, US has repeatedly violated a sovereign
country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity by unlawfully entering
its border and killing innocent civilians including women and children ,
by launching deadly drone strikes within the territory, which is
against the international rule of law and a violation of the UN charter.
Recently, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay said: “The current
lack of transparency surrounding their (drone) use creates an
accountability vacuum and affects the ability of victims to seek
redress”. Pakistan army had never attacked any US objects, in fact,
terrorist activities have been emanating from non-state actors and this
doesn’t authorize US to infringe Pakistan’s sovereignty. Hence, US
rhetoric of using contentious assassination drones as ‘self-defense’ can
never be legally justified. The same rule can be applied for Yemen as
well.
The CIA’s armed drone annihilation apart from extensive social and
economic outflows also creates a blurry image of Pakistan’s army which
is not acceptable. Raising the issue of drones in UN is an ample example
that there is a full fledged anger towards UAVs at almost all levels
and for this reason Pakistan’s political, military establishment is
standing together against the inhuman drones.
In reality, it was the efforts of Pakistan armed forces that helped
in countering terrorism, Operation Rah-e-Nijat, Operation Rah-e-Rast and
Operation Rah-e-Haq in militant hit areas are foremost successful
actions of Pak army. The military operations have shaped a situation
favorable for the political progression. Pakistani nation has always
showed complete solidarity and support for its armed forces who are
still sacrificing their lives for the cause of peace.
Pakistan has already done its job exceptionally as a front-line ally
for the ‘War on Terrorism’. The Pakistan army has suffered huge losses
but never stepped backed from the sacrifice and fought bravely to
eradicate the terrorists from its soil. Meanwhile, US have repeatedly
acknowledged that US needs Pakistan’s help for peace development in the
region as well as for the safe environment for a stable Afghanistan
after the departure of NATO forces.
On the contrary, CIA’s predator strikes are demeaning Pakistan,
deteriorated the security situation within the county and filled the
inhabitants with deep hatred and rage. Drones Strikes created a gigantic
obstacle in uphill struggle to re-establish the significant bilateral
Pak-US relationship based on equal and constructive approach. At such a
critical junction, ‘US actions speak louder than its words’, since drone
attacks are creating a line of separation and bitterness.
