The Ministry of Defence has convened an in-camera session of parliamentarians over reports that US administration is seeking expansion of drone operation to Balochistan. National Assembly standing committee on defence expressed serious concern on Wednesday over a report carried by the Washington Post, claiming that the US is seeking to expand drone operations in Pakistan, and a request has been made to the government for allowing drone strikes in Balochistan.
Committee members demanded of the government to convene an in-camera briefing on the government's policy regarding drone attacks, as claimed by the US newspaper. Following the suggestions of the members, the chairperson of committee, Azra Afzal, directed the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Defence, to arrange a briefing for the parliamentarians.
This point was raised by Ayaz Ameer, quoting news report that US administration had asked government's permission for drone attacks in south-western region of Balochistan, bordering Afghanistan. He said it would be better if the parliamentarians would be briefed jointly by Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Interior, and the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency at ISI office. The Ministry of Defence agreed to provide complete information in this connection on December 7.
At the end of committee meeting, a parliamentarian said that when the US wanted to launch drones attacks on Balochistan on the pretext of Quetta Shura, it puzzles many minds because Quetta, Balochistan capital, is not a place where attacks on Nato are planned. It is 80 miles from Afghan border, and there is no evidence that this city or its suburbs are Taliban's safe havens. One reason which comes to mind is that US policy makers have repeatedly said that militants of al Qaeda and the Haqqani network were using the rugged mountains of Balochistan as their hideouts because of their close proximity to Afghanistan and Iran.