While all the attention is riveted on the killings of high profile targets in drone strikes, perpetrators don’t bat an eye on the innocent beings who die as “collateral damage”. In the recent drone strike in Balochistan that ended up in the killing of Taliban commander Mullah Akhter Mansour, an innocent taxi driver Mohammad Azam also became a casualty. He was the sole bread-winner of his family and his sudden and tragic death would be a deep source of torment for his near and dear ones. With the sole earning member dead, it would be very difficult for his family members to make both ends meet. While the family has rightly registered an FIR against the US government, no response has still been made by Pakistani or US officials. There can be no compensation for a lost life, but the hapless family needs to be given monetary compensation by the US government.
It is a fact that drone technology has been a revolution in the warfare techniques for its remarkable accuracy and precision to hit the target, nonetheless, thousands of innocents have lost their lives as “collateral damage”. UN and Human Rights groups have condemned these strikes as a violation of human rights and demand accountability and transparency of accidental deaths of non-combatants. Affected governments, civil society, public and media have also raised much furore against the destruction of life and property. It is ironical that while the killing of the bigwigs of terrorism is celebrated, the loss of lives of innocents is silently swept under the rug. The US who champions the cause of human rights, needs to look into this grave issue and devise an effective strategy to prevent unwanted deaths of the civilians. Pakistani officials must put forward the case of Mohammad Azam to the US government. The US government must offer an apology to the affected family and compensate for the loss.
Fakeha Faiz
Islamabad
