Imran Khan leads anti-drone march in Pakistan
Source: Islamic Invitation
Tens of thousands of Pakistanis, along with dozens of international peace activists, are holding a peace march to protest against US assassination drone strikes on Pakistan’s tribal areas, Press TV reports.
Pakistani opposition politician Imran Khan is leading the convoy of hundreds of vehicles that started the 440-kilometer journey from Islamabad on Saturday and is scheduled to reach South Waziristan on Sunday.
Thousands of people lined the road to greet Khan, who is the leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice or PTI), and his supporters.
US peace activist Tighe Barr told Press TV, “It is time for the United States to end the mass murder that is taking place in Pakistan’s tribal areas” and end the CIA drone strikes there. “They are killing women and children. This is wrong, and this is a war crime.”
“I condemn the hypocrisy of the government, that tried their best to make this march fail,” Khan told the crowd at a brief stopover on the outskirts of Mianwali in northern Pakistan
“They are saying that the Taliban have sent nine suicide attackers. If (President Asif Ali) Zardari sends even a 100 suicide attackers, this march will not stop,” Khan added.
A survey conducted by the Washington-based Pew Global Attitudes Project in June showed that former cricket star Khan was the most popular politician in the country.
Khan’s stance on Washington’s war on terror, which he calls a war of terror, his opposition to the US drone attacks in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region, and his struggle for the rule of law, justice, equality, and the eradication of corruption, have endeared him to the Pakistanis.
They are saying that the Taliban have sent nine suicide attackers. If (President Asif Ali) Zardari sends even a 100 suicide attackers, this march will not stop,” Khan added.
A survey conducted by the Washington-based Pew Global Attitudes Project in June showed that former cricket star Khan was the most popular politician in the country.
Khan’s stance on Washington’s war on terror, which he calls a war of terror, his opposition to the US drone attacks in Pakistan’s northwest tribal region, and his struggle for the rule of law, justice, equality, and the eradication of corruption, have endeared him to the Pakistanis.
International peace activists have condemned the drone strikes as a violation of international law and a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty say the policy is breeding extremism and terrorism in the country’s tribal belt.
Washington claims that its airstrikes target militants crossing the border with Afghanistan, but local sources say civilians have been the main victims of the attacks.
Last month, a report by the Stanford Law School and the New York University School of Law gave an alarming account of the effect that assassination drone strikes have on ordinary people in Pakistan’s tribal areas. The report noted, “The number of ‘high- level’ targets killed as a percentage of total casualties is extremely low — estimated at just 2%.”
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1 killed, 11 others injured in blast in SW Pakistan
Source: Xinhua English.news.cn
English.news.cn 2012-10-08 15:49:51
ISLAMABAD, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least one was killed and 11 others including three cops were injured when a roadside planted bomb hit Pakistan's southwest city of Quetta on Monday, sources in Quetta told Xinhua.
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Pakistan’s Military Moves Against Anti-Drone Rally
The Pakistani military has moved against the Pakistani Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) march today in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwah Province, preventing them from entering the South Waziristan Agency as they had initially planned.
A PTI official familiar with the incident says party leader Imran Khan was briefly detained by the military, and that the troops had threatened to fire on any demonstrators who tried to cross into South Waziristan.
Instead, the convoy changed its course, ending up in the city of Tank for their final speeches condemning the ongoing US drone strikes against Pakistan’s tribal areas, promising to continue to speak out against the attacks.
The Pakistani government had initially tried to scare the rally away from South Waziristan by claiming there were going to be terrorist attacks, but when they refused to stop the march the military just claimed they didn’t have legal permission to enter the tribal areas.
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U.S. embassy issues emergency alert for nationals in Pakistan
Via: Strategic-Culture.org - Strategic Culture Foundation
The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Sunday issued a threat alert for its nationals in Pakistan, especially in the Pakistani capital, asking them to keep a low profile.
The embassy drew attention of American nationals that Pakistani Ministry of Interior issued a general threat alert on possible terrorist attacks in Islamabad on Sunday, which will be against key government installations in the downtown area of Islamabad known as the "Red Zone" and the five-star and several other hotels in Islamabad.
"The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad advises all U.S. citizens to avoid these areas, remain vigilant, keep a low profile, and continue to exercise caution while in Pakistan," the message posted on the U.S. embassy website said.
The U.S. citizens traveling or living in Pakistan were also asked to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP).
It was the second alert message issued to the Americans in Pakistan in a month. U.S. citizens were warned of possible attacks during protests against the anti-Islam movie made in the United States.
