ISLAMABAD:
An opposition lawmaker urged on Sunday the government to clarify its position regarding drone attacks reminding it of unanimous resolutions adopted by parliament denouncing and “prohibiting” such attacks.
In a letter sent to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, PML-Q MNA Marvi Memon said: “The United States has violated our territorial sovereignty severely by the drone attacks. We as parliament had pledged not to allow such drone attacks from occurring in the 14-point resolution signed by all of us some time ago. Despite such a resolve, your government has failed to protect the people from such attacks, clearly violating Article 9 of the Constitution.”
The letter was also sent to the speaker of the National Assembly, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and the president of the PML-Q.
She said: “I believe it is also your responsibility to initiate a resolution…acknowledging that we are in a state of war with the US, thereby giving our armed forces formal approval for counterattack,” she maintained.
According to her, the resolution should be drafted along the following lines: “We the members of the Majlis-e-Shura take strict notice of the drone attacks of the US on our territory which we take to be a tacit declaration of war against Pakistan. Under such circumstances, we authorise our armed forces to take action against such attacks.”
Published in The Express Tribune, March 21st, 2011.