The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on Tuesday, condemning US drone attacks in the Waziristan region and urging the federal government to stop them. The resolution was moved by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Deputy Parliamentary Leader Mufti Kifayatullah. It was signed by parliamentary leaders and members of all political parties represented in the assembly.
However, on behalf of the treasury benches, KP Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) member Abdul Akbar Khan opposed some points in the resolution’s text. Kifayatullah replied that on behalf of the treasury benches, Bashir Bilour had already signed and agreed with the text. But after continued opposition by the PPP and Awami National Party (ANP) on those points, amendments were made in the text, and later the resolution was adopted unanimously. The resolution stated that US drones were killing innocent people, including women and children. It urged the federal government to take immediate steps for halting drone attacks on Pakistani soil.
On Monday, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) member Nighat Yasmeen Orakzai condemned drone attacks. She was supported by Opposition Leader Akram Khan Durrani and other members of the provincial legislature. The text of the resolution was prepared on Monday, but the mover could not table it due to adjourning of the session. While talking about the resolution, KP Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain said that they condemned terrorism and violence anywhere in the world. He said the presence of militants from all over the world in Waziristan was the main reason for US drone attacks, adding that foreign militants had to be expelled from Pakistan. He said that after the departure of foreign militants, Pakistan would be in a better position to ask the US to stop drone attacks.
