Pakistan set to devise national policy on US drone strike

Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), which will form the new government, has decided to devise a national policy on the US drone attacks, a leader said. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan told the media all stakeholders will be taken into confidence before announcing the policy on drone attacks.

He said that drone attacks obstruct peace efforts as they help regroup the militants, reported Xinhua. Chaudhry Nisar said the new government will also take all political forces on board while devising strategy to overcome other challenges faced by the country. 

The statement comes after Pakistan Taliban withdrew their peace dialogue offer to the new government after their senior leader was killed in a US drone strike Wednesday. The drone killed Wali-ur-Rehman Mehsud, the No. 2 in Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and five other activists, in North Waziristan. 

Meanwhile, a ‘shocked’ Pakistan Taliban confirmed the death of its deputy chief Waliur Rehman in a US drone strike and announced the withdrawal of its offer to hold talks with the new Pakistan government over the killing. 

‘I confirm the martyrdom of Waliur Rehman in a drone strike on Wednesday. We are shocked at the martyrdom of our leader but are proud of his sacrifices,’ said Ihsanullah Ihsan, spokesman for the banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Ihsan said the Taliban was withdrawing its offer of a dialogue with the new government, and would take revenge for Rehman’s killing.‘We had sincerely offered a dialogue to the government but we strongly believe that the government has a role to play in the drone strikes,’ he said. 

The Taliban consider the Pakistan government as ‘fully responsible’ for the drone strikes because it was ‘passing on information’ to the US, he added.

Sources said Waliur’s death would hit the incoming PML-N government’s plans to open a dialogue with Taliban as mediators were hoping to establish contact with the militants through the relatively moderate Rehman.