Elders and the parliamentarians from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) on Friday demanded of the United States to stop the drone attacks in tribal areas, saying that such attacks are creating hatred against the Americans among the peace-loving people. They demanded this at a meeting with the visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Islamabad.
The tribal leaders contended that the drone attacks of the Nato forces not only cause heavy collateral damage but also creates anti-America sentiments among the peace-loving people. During the meeting, tribal leaders made it clear that use of force is not the solution of problems and drone attacks are creating hatred in Fata. The delegation has said that tribal people are not terrorists and they would cooperate with the government in fighting against terrorism and extremism.
These elders and parliamentarians also sought more assistance from the US for the socio-economic development of the people of the tribal areas. They contended that they have suffered more than others in the wake of ongoing war against terrorism and everything has been destroyed including business, infrastructure and peace, which need to be compensated.
Hillary Clinton appreciating the role of the tribal people for maintaining peace in the area said her country would continue its co-operation with Pakistan in war against terror. Hillary added Pak-US ties are not restricted to war and security issues as the US wants long term and durable relationship with Pakistan.
She also informed the Fata leaders that steps have been taken by the US to create Reconstruction of Opportunity Zones (ROZs) in the tribal areas and legislation is under way in this regard. She said the US could not see innocent people being murdered at the hands of terrorists and would help them get rid of this menace. She added that the US wanted long lasting relationships with Pakistan and the relations between the two countries are not limited to only security and strategic co-operation rather their scope is wider.
AP adds: US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton came face-to-face on Friday with Pakistani anger over US aerial drone attacks in tribal areas along the Afghan border, a strategy that US officials say has succeeded in killing key terrorist leaders.
In a series of public appearances on the final day of a three-day visit marked by blunt talk, Clinton refused to discuss the subject, which involves highly classified CIA operations. She would say only that ``there is a war going on,'' and the Obama administration is committed to helping Pakistan defeat the insurgents and terrorists who threaten the stability of a nuclear-armed nation.
Clinton said she could not comment on ``any particular tactic or technology'' used in the war against extremist groups in the area. The use of Predator drone aircraft, armed with guided missiles, is credited by US officials with eliminating a growing number of senior terrorist group leaders this year who had used the tribal lands of Pakistan as a haven beyond the reach of US ground forces in Afghanistan.
During an interview broadcast live in Pakistan with several prominent female TV anchors, before a predominantly female audience of several hundred, one member of the audience said the Predator attacks amount to ``executions without trial'' for those killed. Another asked Clinton how she would define terrorism.
``Is it the killing of people in drone attacks?'' she asked. That woman then asked if Clinton considers drone attacks and bombings like the one that killed more than 100 civilians in Peshawar earlier this week to both be acts of terrorism.
``No, I do not,'' Clinton replied. In a give-and-take with about a dozen residents of the tribal region, one man alluded obliquely to the drone attacks, saying he had heard that in the United States, aircraft are not allowed to take off after 11pm, to avoid irritating the population.
``That is the sort of peace we want for our people,'' he said through an interpreter. The same man told Clinton that the Obama administration should rely more on wisdom and less on firepower to achieve its aims in Pakistan. ``Your presence in the region is not good for peace,'' he said, referring to the US military, ``because it gives rise to frustration and irritation among the people of this region.'' At another point he told Clinton, ``Please forgive me, but I would like to say we've been fighting your war.''
A similar point was made by an anchor of a private TV channel during the live broadcast interview. ``It is not our war,'' she told Clinton. "It is your war." She drew a burst of applause when she added, ``You had one 9/11. We are having daily 9/11s in Pakistan.''
Capturing a feeling that Clinton heard expressed numerous times during her visit, one woman in the audience said, ``The whole world thinks we are terrorists.'' The woman said she was from the South Waziristan area where the Pakistani army is engaged in pitched battles with Taliban and affiliated extremist elements - and where US drones have struck with deadly effect many times.