Pakistan editor slams US drone attacks

Editor of Pakistani newspaper on Thursday strongly condemned US-led drone strikes in Pakistani tribal region terming it a sheer violation of country’s sovereignty. Talking to IRNA Javed Siddiq resident editor of daily ‘Nawa-i-Waqt’ said that such attacks are unproductive and kill innocent civilians “There is no doubt that the US drone strikes on Pakistani soil are clear violation of international norms and our sovereignty,” he said. The journalist went on to say such attacks are against the UN charter. He added that US is killing innocent people in the name of war against terror. “Many women and children have become victims of US-led drone strikes,” he noted. Javed Siddiq expressing his views said there is absolutely no justification for such attacks. “You cannot guarantee the killing of Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders in these strikes as mostly they are carried out on wrong information,” believed the editor. He said that drone attacks on Pakistan are increasing with rise of every new day which is unacceptable. The journalist added that Pakistanis show strong opposition to the drone strikes. Javed Siddiq stated that Pakistani Parliamentarians and media consider drone attacks as violation of country’s sovereignty. During former US President George W. Bush’s tenure, there was an average gap of 40 days between two drone attacks, under President Obama’s set-up, the interval has been reduced to four days. Earlier Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani and the corps commanders in successive meetings had expressed their indignation over these attacks. Javed Siddiq did not rule out the possibility of increasing drone attacks as an attempt to divert the world’s attention from the US internal problems. He was of the opinion that the US practically has lost war in Afghanistan but the Obama administration wants to befool American public by telling them these drone strikes are very successful. The journalist to a question said US has been leveling allegations against the countries which are not following their agendas. “They cannot tolerate those countries which are pursuing independent policies”, he said. “Yes these accusations can be a part of a conspiracy by the US and Zionists to destabilize the Muslim world”, viewed Javed Siddiq.