Pakistan: Military and Government mum on renewed drone attacks

After a two month or so pause there were two drone attacks in North Waziristan in the Pakistan tribal areas. The attacks reportedly killed nine people. Official reports almost always classify those killed as militants or suspected militants.

The drones involved now come from Afghanistan as their base in Pakistan has been closed down. The airfield is at Khost in Afghanistan.

Although the government has constantly condemned drone attacks and the parliament passed a motion demanding they stop, there has been no government response as yet to the attacks. Many analysts believe that the drone campaign is sanctioned by unwritten agreements between the CIA, the Pakistani government and the security establishment in Pakistan.

There have been reports that Pakistan was prepared to shoot down any unauthorized flights over its air space. However the renewed drone strikes cast credibility on that claim or else the drone flights must be authorized. In fact the resumption of the attacks and the silence of the military, government, and intelligence community indicate that the same old game has resumed. There is a secret agreement with the CIA that is disavowed by everyone. The same tired old meaningless rhetoric opposing the strikes will continue indefinitely unless the government finally admits what seems obvious. Unless the government acts to stop the strikes it will lose even more credibility with the Pakistani populace. For more see this article.