No military operation if PTI comes into power: Imran Khan

Islamabad: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday said that the drone strikes in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were being conducted with the government’s complicity and there would be no drone strikes and military operations in after the PTI comes into power.

Imran Khan made these remarks during his visit to the Mehsud tribesmen’s protest camp set-up in front of National Press Club against the on-going military operation and the unabated drone strikes in South Wazirsitan Agency. On the occasion, Imran Khan also expressed solidarity with the protesters and assured them that his party would pullout its forces from war against terrorism, which is actually the US war.

Flaying the incumbent government and Musharraf-led governments for involving Pakistan army in war against terror, Imran Khan said that the drone strikes were being carried out with the consent of Pakistani government due to which not only over 85% people of tribal areas had to leave their homes but it also led to the closure of all educational institutions in tribal areas which spoke volumes of the government inability to function in affected areas.

Imran Khan said that when he called for holding a dialogue with Taliban, he was dubbed as Taliban Khan, but now all the political forces especially the Awami National Party (ANP) was making the same demand and it had also convened All Parties Conference (APC) at the time when the tenure of the federal and provincial governments had almost come to an end.

He made it clear that the on-going war against terrorism was not in Pakistan’s interest which had claimed lives of thousands of innocent people and military personnel.

“The PTI, after winning the forthcoming general elections, would get Pakistan out of the war on terror while military operations in the all the tribal areas would also be ended. Besides, he added, the local tribal elders would also be included in the consultation process for restoring peace in the tribal region, as without their participation, the dream of peace could not come true.

Imran Khan assured that all the missing persons would be recovered and all the damages would be compensated after the PTI comes into power, adding that he took his historic Waziristan March with the sole purpose to bring to limelight the drone issue, which were being carried out in violation of all international laws and norms and were also violating the country’s sovereignty.

“Imran Khan Foundation (IKF) has been distributing relief goods among the Internally Displaced Persons’ of Mehsud tribe of South Wazirstan. However, the losses were so huge that the foundation could not meet all the needs of the affectees, hence, it is government’s responsibility to come forth and address all their reservations,” he asserted.

Imran Khan said that the former president Pervez Musharraf and the incumbent PPP-led governments were mainly responsible for the miseries and agonies of the people of Waziristan along with other part of the FATA, as they did nothing for the people of the troubled areas, but multiplied their woes by putting them in the war against terrorism.

He assured the protesting Mehsuds that the PTI after coming into power would address all their concerns by not only compensating their losses occurred during the last ten years in the war against terrorism, but it would ensure their respectable return to their home towns.

The PTI Chairman lamented that the all the educational institutions in tribal areas remained closed for the last ten years and the people were forced to leave their homes owing to the on-going war against terrorism due to which the new generation was facing enormous difficulties to get education, which was a matter of great concern.