Drone Attack

Pakistan has been complaining that the recent US drone strikes have breached its sovereignty. Pakistan wishes to raise the issue at the United Nations; however it seems US has not paid any heed to Pakistan’s reactions. On the contrary US President Barack Obama has hailed the efforts of the drone attack resulting in the death of Taliban chief as an event that provides opportunity and progress in the path of establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan. Pakistan has denied reports confirming killing of Mullah Akhtar Mansour, but has continued to condemn the drone strikes as breach of its sovereignty. A question which Pakistan needs to address is whether the Taliban chief who was in Pakistan without a passport is an honour to its sovereignty?

Actually Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was in Pakistan with a passport in the name of Ahmed Wali. He had unrestricted access to travel within Pakistan. The real concern Pakistan should have expressed and should investigate is as to who allowed this false identity, fake passport and free access to the Taliban chief on its soil. Pakistan has claimed that Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour entered the Balochistan region of Pakistan via Iran. But Iranian government has rubbished and rejected these claims stating that Mansour has never been to Iran. Hence Pakistan should be answerable for the presence of Taliban chief on its soil. Actually it is not a surprise to the world that Taliban chief Mansour was to be found in Pakistan as the Pakistani ISI itself had appointed him. It was Pakistan that had hidden the news of the death of the first Taliban chief Mullah Omar for about two years. After the death of Mullah Omar, Pakistan’s ISI had heavily influenced and worked with many Taliban factions to get Mullah Akhtar Mansour accepted as their successor.