News
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Senate body says drones cause high civilian casualtiesISLAMABAD: A report of the Senate committee on defence and defence production has suggested that drone attacks in Pakistan caused heavy civilian causalities and were widely disapproved by society. The report said that out of the total drone attacks, 95 percent were carried out in Pakistan while 20 percent of the victims were civilians. The report quoted CIA officials as saying that the drone attacks created safe havens for militants. It said that militants were unpopular but due to collateral damages they attracted sympathies and support. The report also assessed limitations of use of the drones, and technology. It elaborated the history of technology and said that such drones were developed specifically for targeting al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden. The committee said that relying on the short-term tactics of drone postponed and undermined the development of a comprehensive strategy to address the root causes driving militancy. It said that militant extremists were not simply a group of evil people but a mindset and set of ideas. “Drones kill people but multiply supporters of the idea,” the report said. “A more successful strategy will centre on robust diplomatic engagement at all levels to address legitimate grievances. Tribal groups targeted by drones have legitimate grievances against their governments,” it added. staff report
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk