KARACHI: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) on Monday submitted adjournment motion in the Senate to discuss the ‘security calculus in the region and implications of extending drone strikes to Balochistan’ brought into focus by the killing of Taliban leader Mullah Mansoor in a drone strike the other day. The issue will alter the security calculus in the region while extending drone strikes to Balochistan, already reeling with insurgency and militancy, has posed new threats to national security and sovereignty, according to the adjournment motion submitted by Senator Farhatullah Babar.
If the reports of the taking out of Mullah Mansoor are correct it means that five years after OBL was killed by the US from a sanctuary in Abbottabad cantonment, a Taliban leader Mullah Mansoor whose existence on our soil has been denied was also killed on Pakistani territory by the US. This strengthens the perception that elements in the state are harboring militants; the motion says and warns ‘it will give new ammunition to forces inimical to Pakistan.’
Even if Mulla Mansoor has not been killed the drone attack in Balochistan itself is a dangerous escalation. Even those who have no sympathy for the militants are deeply concerned by it. This escalation is against the ‘red lines’ reportedly set long ago that strikes in Balochistan are a no go area, the motion says.
Reports that Pakistan was informed prior to drone strike has further complicated the situation and added to the gravity and urgency of the matter. it further says.
Talking to the media Senator Farhatullah Babar outlined what he said ‘several disturbing aspects’ of the incident. From the photograph of the person killed he resembles Mullah Mansoor but is identified from the papers as Muhammad Wali a resident of Killa Abdullah in Balochistan with a second address in Karachi. According to reports he was returning from Iran raising different set of questions.
He said that the body of the deceased Muhammad Wali was reportedly handed over to a young man named Muhammad Rafiq claiming to be his nephew in haste and without asking the latter for identification papers.
He said that apart from a dangerous rise in volatility it signals a readiness to target Taliban commanders deep inside Pakistan I territory even though the Afghan Taliban have not yet been named as ‘terrorist group’.
Juxtaposing this incident with the candid admission recently by Advisor Foreign Affairs Mr. Sartaj Aziz that Pakistan provided shelter and support to Taliban commanders has given rise to serious questions which the Parliament cannot ignore, he said.
