RAWALPINDI - Terming the US drone attacks on tribal belt as blessing of God, former MPA of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Zia Ullah Shah, has said that North Waziristan Agency (NWA) has become a safe haven for the foreigners who have waged war against the state and the US is doing the right thing by killing them in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) strikes.
The former provincial lawamker said no civilian was being killed in US drone strikes in tribal areas rather the militants have been meeting their logical end.
“It is our good luck that Pakistan and America have the same enemy, the Taliban. We as a nation should realise the ground realities and support drone attacks at a time when a country like USA not only giving us aid but also combating the terrorists hiding in tribal areas by firing missiles through UAVs,” the PML-N leader added.
Zia Ullah Shah expressed these views while responding to queries of the media men at the concluding session of a two-day workshop, organised by United Press International (UPI) at a local hotel in Rawalpindi on Saturday.
The PML-N MPA, who remained in power from 2008 to 2013 from PP-11 but faced defeat at the hands of PTI candidate Raja Rashid Hafiz in May 11 general elections, maintained that a large number of Uzbek and Chechen terrorists have been hiding in NWA and involved in anti-state activities, destabilising the country.
The former legislator said the security forces were not capable of eliminating the terrorist groups; therefore, the US drone attacks were the only option to get rid of these enemies of the state.
PTI’s protest to block NATO supply was baseless, the MPA said while replying to a question. He said the terrorism weakened the country and the federal government is trying its level best to steer the country out of the crises.
Condemning sectarian violence in Raja Bazaar of Rawalpindi on November 15, the former MPA said that the third hand was involved in the killing of students at the seminary instead of Shias.
“There is no conflict between Shias and Sunnis of the city. Rather miscreants are fanning the sectarianism,” Zia Ullah Shah said.