ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN - Prime Minister US drone strikes targeting Al Qaida and Taliban militants are counter-productive said “US drone strikes targeting Al Qaeda and Taliban militants are counter-productive” and his government has not given permission for such attacks.
“First of all I want to inform you that we did not allow or give permission to fly drones from Pakistan,” Mr Gilani told Al Jazeera television.
“Drones are counter-productive and we have discussed it thoroughly with the US administration.”
Yousuf Raza Gilani(June 9, 1952) is the 16th and current Prime minister of Pakistan and the vice-chairman of the democratic socialist party, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
He said the “collateral damage” from drone attacks was counter-productive because it undermined his government’s efforts to separate tribes from militants, and also violated Pakistan’s national sovereignty.
Mr Gilani said former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had “some understanding” on drone attacks with the United States. He said he had “good relations” with the military “at the moment”.
SECRET MEMO SENT TO THE PENTAGON
That was a reference to tensions pitting the civilian government against the military over “a memo” sent to the Pentagon seeking US help in preventing a feared military coup after the US commando raid in Pakistan that killed Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.
THE MEMO GATE SCANDAL AS A RESULT OF THE BIN LADIN RAID
On October 10 2011, US-based businessman Mansoor Ijaz wrote in an opinion piece in Financial times that he acted as an intermediary between the Pakistani Government and US administration, with the former requesting the help of the latter to avert “a military coup” in wake of the unilateral US raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
He said that a senior Pakistani diplomat telephoned him with an urgent request early on May 9, exactly a week after the raid against bin Laden.
Though the Pakistani Government subsequently rejected his claims, it triggered a storm in the country's political circles, especially between the civil government and the military. A judicial commission was subsequently appointed to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's request to the apex court for an independent probe into the matter was accepted. The court rejected the government’s contention that the issue should be investigated by a parliamentary panel.
Tensions between the government and the military reached a peak after Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said the army and intelligence chiefs had acted in an “unconstitutional and illegal” manner by filing affidavits on the memo issue in the Supreme Court without getting the government’s approval. The military reacted within days through a strongly worded statement that said the premier’s remarks could have “grievous consequences”.
Mr. Gilani retaliated by sacking Defense Secretary Lt Gen (retired) Khalid Naeem Lodhi, a confidant of Kayani.
He reiterated that the Defense Secretary was removed in accordance with the law as he had made a mistake by not following the government’s rules. He maintained that he was only answerable to the Parliament.
“The fact that the Pakistan Prime Minister won’t allow US drone strikes against Al-Qaida is totally outrageous considering the Al-Qaida is attacking our troops in Afghanistan and essentially using Pakistan as a base of operation”, says Philip Owens of Charlotte, N.C.
“We invaded Afghanistan because al-Qaida was using the country as a safe haven to launch attacks but we don’t do the same with Pakistan? The only difference is that Pakistan has nukes. In my opinion that makes the double dangerous”, says Catherine French of Charlotte.
“Al-Qaida is wildly popular in Pakistan, as much as America is hated and despised”, says Paul Donaldson of Charlotte, who spent 23 months in Pakistan and noted the reaction to the US raid that killed Osama Bin Ladin. “People were crying in the street and mourning Bin Ladin like a freaking hero in Pakistan. It doesn’t surprise me that the Prime Minister says it doesn’t want the US attacking the terrorist group – all they want is our money pouring in”, he said.
Robert Tilford
Charlotte, N.C.
Comments