Bypassing the Drones

By Mehr F Husain

October 25, 2013

THE AMNESTY International report on drone attacks in Pakistan is the ace card that anti- drone Pakistanis are waving about to prove their point. The report is basically concrete evidence of the atrocities caused by drone strikes and it has added considerable weight to the cries of anti- drone protestors. While the report is substantive in its coverage, consisting of case studies, maps and images, it does raise several issues that possibly could weigh against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s stand against drones, especially when it comes to discussing the matter with the US. Drones have undoubtedly caused destruction on humanitarian, political and economic levels.

Politically, drones have been a sensitive issue for Pakistan with calls by civil society and political parties, most notably Imran Khan, to end them for numerous reasons, including breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty, as it seems appalling that fellow Pakistanis are being mercilessly massacred by the US ( in this case, concern lies with the residents of the northern regions, not the Taliban militants) and on religious basis there is anger at how Muslims are being annihilated by non- Muslims ( here the Taliban do manage to get sympathy).

B UT when it comes to sovereignty, no one seems to question the destruction being wreaked via use of foreign funds by foreign militants to destabilise Pakistan. The report points out to three players in the North Waziristan region — USA, the Pakistani military and armed groups including the Afghan Taliban.

Once the US pulls out, is there any guarantee foreign militants will leave the area? No.

And as for patriotism, that has remained a shady area for Pakistan since its inception. Ignoring the fact that an individual is born on Pakistani soil, increasingly it seems that patriotism for the country can only be proved if one happens to be of Islamic religion and that too of a particular sect.

When it comes to religion, it appears that even the Taliban have the right to exist as people, despite the horrific attacks they keep conducting, simply on the basis that they are Muslims.

There are countless cases of lives being torn apart, homes being destroyed, livelihoods ending and families at a loss of how to cope not just with drones but also with the continuous crossfire between the Taliban and the Pakistan military and the tragedy of being caught in between. But what is interesting is that drone attacks are being conducted with the approval of the State and the military.

What makes matters even more interesting is that if the Pakistani State has approved the use of drones, then on what basis will the Prime Minister request that the US stop using drones? While the report is justified in its findings and evidence, the fact remains that the US is a superpower and given Pakistan’s failings including finding OBL or defeating the militants, the drone strikes are unlikely to end despite the Pakistani peoples’ protests or the Prime Minister’s request. If anything, the continuous drone strikes and the consequential report are clear signals that if Pakistan is to take control over what happens in its country then it needs to face reality — as long as there are militants and terrorists on its soil, drone attacks will continue. The fact that the State and the military covertly support the drones is an alarming sign indicative of the fact the Pakistan needs US support more than the US needs Pakistan’s support.

While the debate on talks vs. war with the Taliban has caused divisions socially and politically, it is clear that the Pakistan military and State are both already at war (not full scale but more region specific) against the Taliban — Pakistani and Afghani. And what has it achieved so far? Sympathy for the drone victims which include not just innocent civilians but also terrorists and militants. Sovereignty was tainted when militants were allowed to reside, patriotism would have been illustrated if the report had been produced by Pakistanis and religion is now a mere tool for legitimacy.

If Pakistan is to ensure its stability in the long run and defeat terrorism, then it needs to start rehabilitation work immediately for only then can a unified fight against militancy be conducted.

For, while space may be cleared of militants the fact that the State is letting down its own civilians by not providing relief (whether they have been caught in Pakistan army vs. Taliban crossfire or been hit by a drone is not the issue) is a sure signal that the militant mindset and extremist ideology can linger on and that is far more dangerous than any drone strike.

Source: Mail Today

URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-terrorism-jihad/bypassing-drones/d/14133