‘US should stop scaring foreign aid workers in Pakistan’

ISLAMABAD - America must stop “scaring” foreign volunteers working to aid the flood victims in Pakistan by raising the possibility of terrorist attacks on them, an editorial in a Pakistani newspaper said Sunday.

The editorial also demanded the US stop its drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas, which were engendering more “suicide bombers”.

“Many volunteers have come from various countries with relief supplies and are helping the residents of the affected areas. The American media is attempting to shake the confidence of these humanitarian-minded people by floating stories that the Taliban or the other terrorists may attack them,” the editorial in the Nawa-i-Waqt said.

It said that all those people - be they of any religion or community, but are imbued by the goal of helping problem-stricken people - who have come to Pakistan to help are guests of Pakistan and the government must make all arrangements for their safety and security so they could carry on their work unhindered.

“Those people in Pakistan who are labelled terrorists are also Muslims and must remember Islam gives high precedence to love and service of fellow humans. They should follow Islam’s teachings and ensure they do not create further problems for the miserable and hapless flood-affected people,” it said.

The editorial also urged Pakistan to take up the matter with the US and ensure the American media does not carry such “baseless news” which has the effect of demoralising the government and the people engaged in ameliorating the plight of the flood victims.

It also demanded the Americans stop their drone attacks, which have given birth to a “climate of suspicion and mysterious blasts” in Pakistan.

“America carries out drone attacks in the tribal areas and those members of a family who survive such attacks swear to take vengeance for the deaths of their relatives and kin by becoming suicide bombers. American must forthwith stop the drone attacks in order to rid Pakistan of the menace of suicide bombing,” it said.