Terming Friday’s drone strike a deliberate effort to sabotage peace process, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Saturday said Pakistan will review its relations with the US.
The Foreign Office also summoned US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson and served him demarche, registering protest over the drone strike.
The FO said drone strikes were in a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, violate international humanitarian laws, besides being counterproductive to Pakistan’s efforts to bring peace and stability.
“At a time, when delegation was about to leave to initiate talks with the Taliban… a drone strike killed Tehreek-e-Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud with whom we were supposed to talk.. Government of Pakistan does not see this attack an individual but an attack on the peace process. What you have done with us?” the minister told a press conference.
He said the drone strike was an ambush. He, however, said that the efforts to de-track peace process would be failed. The minister said that the drone strike just came hours before a delegation was supposed to leave for peace talks. He said this has forced Pakistan to review its relations with the US. He said Pakistan has also decided to take up the matter before permanent members of the UN Security Council.
“The Foreign Office and ambassadors have been activated to approach the permanent members- P-5 members states of UN Security Council to take them in confidence over the strike.”
“Our ambassador will brief them on our concerns, with specific reference to the setback caused to the peace process by latest drone strike,” Interior Minister said.
He said that after the All Parties Conference (APC) the US had assured Pakistan that it would not target TTP during the dialogue process. The minister said that during his meetings with the US envoy and other officials he was assured that drones would not target the TTP during peace talks.
“Why did the US target Mehsud on the eve of talks when there had been a numerous opportunities to target him? Why you selected this timing?” he questioned? He said the government was very much serious for talks with the TTP and it has no role in Friday’s attack.
“I want to request Taliban not to react on latest drone strike by killing innocent citizens… Islam does not allow anyone to take lives… We want peace and dialogue. Though, military operation is not a big deal for the government but we want to resolve the issue through dialogue.”
He said that he wanted to give message to those who have scuttled the peace process that Pakistan was a peace-loving country.
“On the eve of 9/11 Pakistan was a peaceful country. 9 to 10 individuals who attacked twin towers were not Pakistani, but in reaction, the US turned this country upward down. What sin we committed. We lost more than 24,000 lives. We tried to make some sense and started the process of dialogue, but the US through the drone strike scuttled the dialogue process.”
The minister said a cabinet meeting has also been called to discuss a future course of action as soon as Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif returns. He also said all political forces which supported peace process would be taken into confidence.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office in a statement said the latest drone strike would have a negative impact on the government’s initiative to undertake a dialogue with the TTP.
“The government, however, was determined to continue with these efforts to engage with the TTP to bring an end to the ongoing violence and make them a part of mainstream politics within the parameters of our constitution,” the statement added.
Nisar blames US for sabotaging peace process
