Earlier today I reported on air strikes on North Waziristan by Pakistan jets and helicopter gunships which killed both militants and civilians see North Waziristan suffers serious bombardment, civilians traumatized by airstrikes
Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e -Insaf (PTI) has now realized a press statement as follows:-
Chairman Imran Khan’s Press Statement (May 22, 2014)
Chairman PTI, Imran Khan, today expressed serious concern over the aerial bombing through planes and helicopter gunships in NWA.
Especially with regard to civilian casualties. Khan said he feared this could be the start of a full-scale ground operation which would lead to more IDPs. He pointed out that already there are almost 2 million IDPs who are in bad shape and almost forgotten by the state.
Khan demanded the PM inform the parliament what was the status of the dialogue with the TTP which had resulted in a sharp decline in acts of terror especially in Khyber Puikhtunkhwa. Also, Khan stated, the main tribes in Waziristan were fully supportive of the talks and the ceasefire.
He said it was incomprehensible why the talks would be undermined at this stage or why the political leadership would be kept in the dark by the government on the actual status of the talks.
End
Mustafa Qadri, Pakistan researcher at Amnesty International had this to say “my personal opinion is there’s armed conflict in Waziristan, there are threats that require military response but it must be strictly in line with IHL (International Humanitarian Law.” He may however be surprised at the above press statement as he had earlier tweeted, “presumably Imran Khan and co won’t criticise this because it’s not America or CIA” (referring to Waziristan airstrikes”
Mr Qadri did request that I send him any testimony from those in affected areas so hopefully Amnesty is closely monitoring activity in North Waziristan. Meanwhile Pakistan’s National Youth Organizations demands that Inter Services Public relations (ISPR) releases a list of all casualties, militant and civilian killed in recent airstrikes. Those who claim “precision strikes” should know exactly who they have hit.
Carol Anne Grayson is an independent writer/researcher on global health/human rights and is Executive Producer of the Oscar nominated, Incident in New Baghdad . She is a Registered Mental Nurse with a Masters in Gender Culture and Development. Carol was awarded the ESRC, Michael Young Prize for Research 2009, and the COTT ‘Action = Life’ Human Rights Award’ for “upholding truth and justice”. She is also a survivor of US “collateral damage”.
Carol Anne Grayson (Radical Sister) blog 