Sir: There has been an endless debate on the effects of drone attacks carried out by the US in the papers and among politicians without a serious and pragmatic analysis of their benefits. Most seem to be riding the bandwagon of condemning the drone attacks. I admire the foresightedness of Pervez Musharraf who took the decision of allowing the US to go ahead, and also provided bases for the launching of these attacks. The reasons were obvious but very few could comprehend them. Pakistan has some very serious shortcomings and limitations in dealing with the terrorists in FATA where the government’s writ remained confined to the roads. These areas have been famous for being a safe haven for lawbreakers, notorious murderers and for hostage takers. Pakistan has limited sovereignty in these areas. The area is governed by the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), which consists of the jirga system headed by tribal elders — a very primitive and rudimentary form of justice. Our troops and general population, including intelligence agencies, have limited interaction with those living there. Consequently, the development of human intelligence is a nightmare and is unreliable at best. Financial limitations prevent us from establishing a reliable human intelligence network, which the US has successfully cultivated. It enjoys the continuous presence of eyes and ears in the sky in the form of satellites, stealth drones and informers on the ground equipped with the latest means of communication. Pakistan has no weapon system to engage in such far-flung areas in timely and effective fashion.
When the press says that these drones are killing innocent people, they should realise that they do not qualify as innocent people as they actively provide logistics, intelligence, shelter and, in many cases, women and manpower to sustain terrorists. They are more the collaborators of terrorists and are not innocent by any stretch of the imagination. The latest killing of Hakeemullah Mehsud should have sparked a feeling of jubilation since the notable leadership is being eliminated at no cost to Pakistan. I strongly feel that those calling the terrorist leaders martyrs should be treated as collaborators of the Taliban. The political government, instead of handling the situation firmly and with determination, is succumbing to terrorism. Our leaders are not leading; they are being led, acting more like shopkeepers or at best businessmen out to please the customers regardless of who they are.
UMAIR SIDDIQUI
Canada