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Washington D.C. On March 5, 2010, The Middle East Institute organized a round table discussion titled: Drone Attacks on the Quetta Shura? Pros and
Cons.
Those who spoke at the event included Selig S. Harrison, Asia Director, Center for International Policy, Andrew Eiva, Former Executive Director,
Federation for American Afghan Action, Ashraf Kakar, Fulbright scholar, American University, and Baloch notables Maqbool Aliani and Zain Magsi, while
professor Marvin Weinbaum, MEI Scholar and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois moderated the event.
U.S. scholar Stephen P. Cohen, who has a soft corner for Pakistan soldiers, felt uncomfortable about the characterization of the Pakistan military as
"Taliban in uniform" and questioned the role of the Baloch chieftain in their drive for independence.
At this, Maqbool Aliani drew a parallel between the American systematic annihilation of the Native Americans on the grounds that they were uncivilized
and giving a license to Pakistani occupation force for a genocide of the Baloch tribesmen.
Zain Magsi, a self-made technological entrepeneur, said the Pakistan military as it exists today was created by the British as an anti-people force to
check the freedom aspirations of the people.
A representative of the Pakistan embassy in Washington DC, Captain Ahmer Shehzad complained that the Middle East Institute had organized a talk
on "Drone attacks on the Quetta shura? pros and cons" that opened up a discussion on the Pakistan military role in Balochistan.
The uniformed official defended the role of the infamous Inter-Services Intelligence and denied that Pakistan military has ever used F-16 jets or
gunship helicopters against Baloch freedom fighters, who are demanding Pakistan troops withdrwalo from Balochistan.
Group captain Shehzad conceded that Pakistan military has used rocket-propelled grenades against the Baloch and also admitted Pakistan treated the
Baloch people unfairly.
The use of F-16s and Cobra helicopters on Baloch freedom-fighters have been widely reported in world newspapers, including the Washington Post.
According to Balochistan National Party (BNP) Information Secretary and former senator Sanaullah Baloch, the supporters of Taliban have captured
land worth Rs 2 billion in the eastern and western parts of Quetta with the covert support of the Pakistani agencies to undermine the Baloch nationalist
movement and promote Talibanization of Balochistan.
Baloch in a recent communication said several locations in the provincial capital have become ‘no-go areas’ where the Taliban and their supporters
have consolidated their position. Baloch said the government was fully aware of the illegal land grabbing but was looking the other way as it wants to
use the Taliban against the Baloch nationalists.
Baloch said the Afghan refugees, besides being a burden on the economy of Balochistan, have become the biggest cause of lawlessness and
terrorism in the country’s are wise largest province, Baloch said.
The governor of Balochistan, Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi some months ago said Pakistan cannot oppose U.S. drone strikes in Balochistan as Washington
can do “whatever it pleases” because it is “paying money” to Islamabad. Magsi says Pakistan does not have an option in this matter. “You cannot
oppose someone who pays you money. The U.S. is paying money to Pakistan. How can we oppose it? It will do whatever it pleases.”
Cons.
Those who spoke at the event included Selig S. Harrison, Asia Director, Center for International Policy, Andrew Eiva, Former Executive Director,
Federation for American Afghan Action, Ashraf Kakar, Fulbright scholar, American University, and Baloch notables Maqbool Aliani and Zain Magsi, while
professor Marvin Weinbaum, MEI Scholar and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois moderated the event.
U.S. scholar Stephen P. Cohen, who has a soft corner for Pakistan soldiers, felt uncomfortable about the characterization of the Pakistan military as
"Taliban in uniform" and questioned the role of the Baloch chieftain in their drive for independence.
At this, Maqbool Aliani drew a parallel between the American systematic annihilation of the Native Americans on the grounds that they were uncivilized
and giving a license to Pakistani occupation force for a genocide of the Baloch tribesmen.
Zain Magsi, a self-made technological entrepeneur, said the Pakistan military as it exists today was created by the British as an anti-people force to
check the freedom aspirations of the people.
A representative of the Pakistan embassy in Washington DC, Captain Ahmer Shehzad complained that the Middle East Institute had organized a talk
on "Drone attacks on the Quetta shura? pros and cons" that opened up a discussion on the Pakistan military role in Balochistan.
The uniformed official defended the role of the infamous Inter-Services Intelligence and denied that Pakistan military has ever used F-16 jets or
gunship helicopters against Baloch freedom fighters, who are demanding Pakistan troops withdrwalo from Balochistan.
Group captain Shehzad conceded that Pakistan military has used rocket-propelled grenades against the Baloch and also admitted Pakistan treated the
Baloch people unfairly.
The use of F-16s and Cobra helicopters on Baloch freedom-fighters have been widely reported in world newspapers, including the Washington Post.
According to Balochistan National Party (BNP) Information Secretary and former senator Sanaullah Baloch, the supporters of Taliban have captured
land worth Rs 2 billion in the eastern and western parts of Quetta with the covert support of the Pakistani agencies to undermine the Baloch nationalist
movement and promote Talibanization of Balochistan.
Baloch in a recent communication said several locations in the provincial capital have become ‘no-go areas’ where the Taliban and their supporters
have consolidated their position. Baloch said the government was fully aware of the illegal land grabbing but was looking the other way as it wants to
use the Taliban against the Baloch nationalists.
Baloch said the Afghan refugees, besides being a burden on the economy of Balochistan, have become the biggest cause of lawlessness and
terrorism in the country’s are wise largest province, Baloch said.
The governor of Balochistan, Nawab Zulfiqar Magsi some months ago said Pakistan cannot oppose U.S. drone strikes in Balochistan as Washington
can do “whatever it pleases” because it is “paying money” to Islamabad. Magsi says Pakistan does not have an option in this matter. “You cannot
oppose someone who pays you money. The U.S. is paying money to Pakistan. How can we oppose it? It will do whatever it pleases.”
| Friday, March 6, 2010 1:03 PM It is naive to think that Pakistan will allow drone attacks on Taliban. Any drone attack in Balochistan will result in killing of innocent Baloch and Pashtun women and children. Taliban are safe in sanctuaries in Balochistan under the protection of Pakistan. There is a danger that Pakistan will mislead Americans with wrong intelligence to attack Baloch Sarmachars instead of Taliban. Ameeri Baloch, UAE |
| Friday, March8, 2010 1:03 PM Drone attacks are good if carried out based on US intelligence, but if Carried out based on Pakistani intelligence, they not only will be ineffective but will also be counter productive. I would suggest NATO forces to enter Balochistan, and with Baloch freedom fighters on their side, they should do the job on their own to flush out Taliban and Al-Qaida elements who are hiding in Balochistan. BJ Baloch, Gwadar |
Drone attacks on the Quetta shura?
Pros and Cons
Pros and Cons