Pakistan says UN investigates rights violations in U.S. drone strikes

Pakistan Thursday confirmed that the United Nations Special Rapporteur is undertaking an inquiry into human rights violations in the U.S. drone strikes in the country’s tribal regions.

Foreign Office spokesman Moazzam Ahmad Khan said the exercise is part of a broader mandate given to the Rapporteur by the UN Human Rights Council to examine abuse of human rights while countering terrorism.

“Pakistan, along with other like-minded countries, had called for examining the extra-judicial and targeted killing including through drone strikes resulting in death of civilians and non-combatants,” the spokesman said at the weekly news briefing in Islamabad.

He recalled that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Pakistan last year and she also raised this issue and expressed concern over the drone attacks.

The U.S. uses its spy aircraft to launch attacks in Pakistan’s Waziristan tribal region, claiming that they target the remnants of al-Qaeda and Taliban militants, who are blamed for cross-border attacks in Afghanistan.

Pakistan and tribesmen insist that the American unmanned aircraft kill innocent people and Islamabad also says the attacks provoke anti-US sentiments.

To another question, the spokesman said Pakistan regards drone strikes as violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. “These have no legality and are counter-productive. This issue has been a constant source of concern for Pakistan and we have been communicating this to the US administration at every level”.

The spokesman said President Asif Ali Zardari would visit United Kingdom in the first week of next month to attend trilateral summit there along with British Prime Minister and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan.

Replying to a question, he said that Pakistan has initiated a process of release of all Afghan Taliban detainees to help facilitate the reconciliation process in Afghanistan. He, however, said he would not give names or numbers.

He said Saudi Arab, Iran, China and Russia can help promote peace in Afghanistan.

About tension on the Line of Control (LoC), which divides Pakistan and India in the disputed Kashmir region, the spokesman said Pakistan wants to sort out all issues particularly violation of LoC with India.

“There are concerns on both sides but the best way is to sort them out through dialogue. There is an established mechanism and Pakistan has been urging India to resolve the issue through that mechanism,” Khan said.

The spokesman reiterated that Pakistan desires to resolve all issues with India through dialogue and in a constructive manner.

Regarding statements of Indian leaders confirming rise of terrorism and extremism in India, the spokesman said Pakistan is concerned and hoped Indian leaders would do what a responsible government should do in such a situation. He reiterated Pakistan’s demand for thorough investigation into Samjotha Express bombing. He said the investigations should be shared with Pakistan and culprits punished in accordance with the law.

Asked to comment on an advertisement that recently appeared in a newspaper of Indian-occupied Kashmir urging people to make safety precautions against nuclear attack, the spokesman said this is ridiculous.

He told a questioner that Pakistan is committed to normalization of trade with India, adding the cabinet has already instructed the concerned authorities to take necessary steps to implement that commitment.

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Posted by Tahir Khan on Jan 24 2013. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.