Tribal elders from Waziristan Agency on Tuesday announced to hold a long march to federal capital Islamabad against persistent US drone attacks in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Speaking at a news conference here at Peshawar Press Club (PPC), Jalal Waziristani, a tribal elder, said that despite the protest and agitation campaign, the CIA secret drone campaign was continuing in the tribal areas.
"We are going to hold long march and stage sit-in outside parliament house on 25th February against the unprovoked strike of US predators on civilian population in tribal areas, he informed. He said that the tribal people from South Wariziristan and the rest of FATA, including leaders and activists from political, religious, liberal parties, activists of student organisations, and factions would participate in the long march. "We will not tolerate more killing of innocent people through drone strikes in the FATA," he warned.
Accompanied by Ghulam Khan, Faridullah, Gulabat Khan and other elders, he said that the tribal elders would announce the future course of action against the unprovoked US drone attacks on innocent tribal people. He said that the tribesmen are peaceful and patriotic people, who had rendered enormous sacrifices for protection of borders of the country. He warned that they would not tolerate more US drone strikes in South Waziristan and the rest of tribal agencies.
Ghulam Khan said that the basic human rights had been violated in the FATA, where huge scale of destruction, damage, and loss of precious human life had occurred in the CIA secret drone campaign, saying that the foreigners are not present in FATA.
He asked that if the government has any valid proof about the presence of foreigners, then it should share with tribal elders to arrest them. But, he said, no foreigner was killed in the US drone attacks, while innocent civilian, including women, children, and aged were targeted. "We will strongly resist any US secret campaign against the innocent people in FATA", he warned.
Faridullah said that the US intends to destabilise tribal areas, but it had faced defeat in Afghanistan over te decade-long invasion, and added that the tribal people would foil any bid of US to destroy FATA. He said that the international human rights had been violated owing to existing of draconian laws. Jalal rejected killing of any foreigners in the US secret drone attacks, saying that claims of the US-led Nato forces' chief in Afghanistan were totally invalid and fabricated.
Gulabat Khan said that it was misfortune of the whole nation that the security forces have been deployed at borders areas. Despite that foreign forces aggression were being carried out in tribal areas. He added that the government should take clear stance against the US drone campaign and implement its forthwith.