Strong words

Lawmakers in Pakistan passed a resolution early on Saturday, May 14, condemning the breach of the country's sovereignty by the United States in its raid on Osama bin Laden's compound earlier this month.

The resolution said "unilateral actions cannot advance the global cause of elimination of terrorism," adding that future recurrence of such operations could have "dire consequences for peace and security in the region and the world."

Both chambers of the Pakistani parliament called for an independent investigation into the May 2 incident, in particular into the shortcomings of Pakistan's own military, which failed to detect bin Laden and carry out the mission itself.

The measures called for during the 10-hour closed-door session in Islamabad marked the beginning of a general review of relations with Washington, in a bid to “revisit its terms of engagement and ensure that Pakistan's national interests are fully respected and accommodated.”

Drone attacks 'must stop'

Pakistan has been an important, yet uneasy, partner for the Washington in the fight against terrorism, as growing anti-Western sentiment at home places Islamabad in an increasingly precarious situation.

In particular, attacks by unmanned US planes on targets in Pakistan have provoked strong public indignation. Saturday's resolution called for the so-called drone attacks to stop.

"Such drone attacks must be stopped forthwith, failing which the government will be constrained to consider taking necessary steps including the transit facility allowed to NATO,” the resolution said.

If the attacks were to continue, Pakistan said it would consider closing shipping routes that would block supplies to NATO forces stationed in land-locked Afghanistan. The majority of those supplies are unloaded at Pakistani ports.

US President Barack Obama has made drone strikes a key component of his counterterrorism strategy, continually launching attacks in Pakistan's tribal region on the Afghan border, which Washington has dubbed the global headquarters of the al Qaeda terror network.

On Thursday, a US drone strike in North Waziristan killed three militants, the fourth such attack since the killing of al Qaeda head bin Laden.

Author: Gabriel Borrud (AFP, dpa)
Editor: Toma Tasovac