RAWALPINDI - Terming the US drone attacks on tribal belt as blessing of God, former MPA of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Zia Ullah Shah, has said that North Waziristan Agency (NWA) has become a safe haven for the foreigners who have waged war against the state and the US is doing the right thing by killing them in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) strikes.
The former provincial lawamker said no civilian was being killed in US drone strikes in tribal areas rather the militants have been meeting their logical end. Trending Discussions Pakistan, India mending fences slowly but surely Pakistan, In
“It is our good luck that Pakistan and America have the same enemy, the Taliban. We as a nation should realise the ground realities and support drone attacks at a time when a country like USA not only giving us aid but also combating the terrorists hiding in tribal areas by firing missiles through UAVs,” the PML-N leader added.
Zia Ullah Shah expressed these views while responding to queries of the media men at the concluding session of a two-day workshop, organised by United Press International (UPI) at a local hotel in Rawalpindi on Saturday.
The PML-N MPA, who remained in power from 2008 to 2013 from PP-11 but faced defeat at the hands of PTI candidate Raja Rashid Hafiz in May 11 general elections, maintained that a large number of Uzbek and Chechen terrorists have been hiding in NWA and involved in anti-state activities, destabilising the country.
The former legislator said the security forces were not capable of eliminating the terrorist groups; therefore, the US drone attacks were the only option to get rid of these enemies of the state.
PTI’s protest to block NATO supply was baseless, the MPA said while replying to a question. He said the terrorism weakened the country and the federal government is trying its level best to steer the country out of the crises.
Condemning sectarian violence in Raja Bazaar of Rawalpindi on November 15, the former MPA said that the third hand was involved in the killing of students at the seminary instead of Shias.
“There is no conflict between Shias and Sunnis of the city. Rather miscreants are fanning the sectarianism,” Zia Ullah Shah said.
Whether NATO blockade is right or wrong, it seems to be having an impact on violence. There has been a drop in drones and also vengeful TTP attacks in Peshawar (city at the forefront of TTP wrath) since then
^^^ Maybe it has something to do with fact that drones took out TTP leader? Btw, drone attacks haven't stopped. There were 2 attack last week killing dozen terrorists.
PMLN is the true representation of the muhawara, saaf kehtay bhi nahin saamnay aatay bhi nahin.
if PMLN has at last found (contrary to their statements pre May 2013) out that terrorists reside in NWA, why haven't they ordered an operation there yet?
^ its never been civil Govt.to decide about security of land it's Pak army. Or u can say Army recommends and civil govt say go ahead!
The dilemma is that if some thing good comes out of it the civilians take full credit of it (swat operations) and if the army fails blame them (fata or balochistan).
At the moment PMLN is stuck between a rock and a hard place, on the one side there's a chance they'll lose support amongst its core base and on the other hand they are annoying the establishment by not taking any position. They'll have to take a decision soon.
I am secularist from a proudly advertised Godless country and I find this statement quite disgusting and absolutely unnecessary.
I wonder where all the part time chest thumping Pakistani style cyber secularist are? Oh wait, the thread is actually posted by one and he seems to appreciate the statement.
At the moment PMLN is stuck between a rock and a hard place, on the one side there's a chance they'll lose support amongst its core base and on the other hand they are annoying the establishment by not taking any position. They'll have to take a decision soon.
Who cares who gets the credit? Army and the govt should be working together to find a solution...especially when problem are so complex that they pose existential threat to the nation. A for Swat, thats were TTP directly challenged the state authority which is part of settled areas where tribal areas are hardly part of Pakistan. Pakistani state never exercised any control over these regions since end of the British Raj, and now these area defacto hub of the international terror inc.
Nawaz Sharif is operating in utter ambiguity. He seems to have adopted Yusaf Raza Gillani's policy of condemning drones in open and embracing them privately. If the government believes that drones have been extremely beneficial and civilian casualties have been negligibly low, then it should clear it's position accordingly.
^^^ Maybe it has something to do with fact that drones took out TTP leader? Btw, drone attacks haven't stopped. There were 2 attack last week killing dozen terrorists.
Do you really think Mullah Radio is any "soft" TTP leader who will not attack? IMHO someone tried to use focus of TTP towards Shias in Moharram probably that is why their violence levels dropped, I can only hope that I am wrong.
^^^ Maybe it has something to do with fact that drones took out TTP leader? Btw, drone attacks haven't stopped. There were 2 attack last week killing dozen terrorists.
dozen terrorists... nice.
were those people massacred wanted by any court of pakistan.. u talk ridiculous nonsense..
even the drone pilots themselves are saying that they hav no idea who they bomb to pieces. this one pilot says his 2 drone pilots committed suicide becoz they couldnt fight the daily nightmeres of little children whose limbs n heads hav been split open with hellfire missles....