Imran terms drone attack in Hangu declaration of war against Pakistan by US; vows to half NATO supplies after Saturday’s Dharna in Peshawar
- November 22, 2013, 2:03 pm
- National News
- 83 Views
ISLAMABAD, Nov 21 (INP): Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan has said that the Hangu drone attack was an open declaration of war by the United States against Pakistan and the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government could take the decision on its own to halt the NATO supplies.
Addressing a press conference at the central secretariat of PTI here on Thursday, Imran Khan said it was for the first time that the drones targeted the settled areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the attack after the statement of Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to PM on Foreign Affairs and National Security, is a clear proof that the United States does not care about the statements of Pakistani leadership. He said had he been Prime Minister of Pakistan, he would have ordered the downing of drones but unfortunately the chief minister of KPK has no such authority.
He said the PTI gave time deliberately to set its house in order but the “Honeymoon period†is now over and the party would announce a clear cut policy against the government during sit-in against NATO supplies on 23rd November (Saturday). He invited all the political parties and people of the KPK and entire country to participate in the Peshawar sit-in.
Imran Khan said that the prime minister has not given a categorical statement against drone attacks and demanded that he should give a clear policy statement about drone strikes otherwise it would be taken that he was following the policy of the former rulers.
The PTI chief said time has come when Pakistan will have to decide whether to follow the policy of enslavement or to emerge as a sovereign and respectable nation. He said Pakistan has become a tissue paper for US which is used and thrown in the dustbin. He said if the drone attacks had been so successful, the terrorism would have ended. He said for the first time drones targeted Hangu which is not in the tribal areas, killing four children and two teachers.
He also came hard on the government and questioned what it was doing to control the spiraling prices of essential commodities. He said the government should tell the people as to why the prices of tomatoes and potatoes have gone sky rocketing. He said record borrowings by the government have created unmanageable inflation.
Imran Khan said the PTI got the mandate against corruption and US aggression and they would show the suspension of NATO supplies after the sit-in.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will convene emergency meeting of the cabinet to discuss the issue of latest drone attack in the province, he added.
Giving his views on Rawalpindi tragedy, Imran Khan said the incident was failure of the government.
Imran also remarked that those who favour peace dialogues are termed Taliban apologists.
“Talks are always held with enemies not friends,†he added.
Meanwhile, PTI spokesperson Dr Shireen Mazari said the drone attack in Hange was a declaration of war against the people of Pakistan by the US.
Shireen Mazari wondered “whether the Pakistan government and military were sleeping while Pakistan was being attacked or were they complicit in this latest drone attack?â€
She said the time had come for the Pakistan government to demonstrate through actions that there is zero tolerance for drone attacks amongst the people and political leadership of Pakistan -- a consensus reflected in the APC resolution.
