Holbrooke justifies drone strikes in Pakistan

MULTAN - US Special Envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has justified drone attacks on FATA in Pakistan by stressing that some elements present in the western part of the nation pose a threat to several countries, and that a joint strategy is needed against them.

“There are some people in western part of this country who seek to destroy this country, its neighbours and attacked United States. I’ll remind you the worst attacks that took place in Bali and the target were Australian tourists. So, all the countries present in podium are their victims. We’ve to act together to bring a kind of moderation and tolerance,” The Nation quoted Holbrooke, as replying to a query on justification of drone attacks.

Addressing a joint news conference with Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Australian foreign minister Kevin Rudd, he categorically declared that the US extended support to Pakistan on humanitarian grounds and not for any strategic concerns, as it was an attempt to connect the Pakistani people with their American counterparts.

Holbrooke expressed hope that Pakistanis would realise the fact that the international community turned up to support them at this difficult time, adding that so far, the USA had given 300 million dollars while its thirty helicopters were also engaged in flood relief operations.

Emphasising that the US president Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave special importance to Pakistan, he said, “Let me tell you no other country in the world has had more than one dialogue with the USA during the last year but Pakistan had three high-level strategic meetings.”

However, he refused to answer a question on violation of human rights in Indian-held Kashmir (IHK), asserting that he was not there to talk about other parts of the world. (ANI)