quarta-feira, 30 de junho de 2010

Imran Khan files petition in SC to protest US drone attacks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Wednesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court asking it to declare US drone attacks inside the country as illegal and unconstitutional. 

Khan filed the petition through advocate Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui under article 184(3) of the constitution, under which the apex court is empowered to take action to enforce the fundamental rights of citizens. 

The government and several top officials, including the Defence Secretary, the Secretary of the cabinet division, Interior Secretary, Foreign Secretary and Home Secretaries of all provinces, were made respondents in the case. 

"It is further prayed that respondents may be called upon to explain that under which authority of law they are allowing/facilitating operation of drones from the soil of Pakistan for attacks inside its territory," the petition said. 

In his petition, Khan asked the court to declare as illegal and unconstitutional all acts that take away the fundamental rights of citizens, the provision of facilities and logistics to any foreign country, any alliance for mass destruction due to drone attacks inside Pakistani territory. 

Such acts should also be declared a violation of the United Nations charter, the universal declaration on human rights, international laws and international humanitarian laws. 

Khan said the respondents should be directed to lodge complaints against the killings of innocent Pakistanis, destruction of their properties and displacement from their homes at appropriate international forums. 

He also asked the court to direct the respondents to take all preventive measures against the drone attacks to protect the life, liberty, dignity, property and other fundamental rights of citizens. 

Khan, who heads the Tehrik-e-Insaaf party, said any valid agreement between Pakistan and the US to carry out drone attacks inside Pakistan should be presented before the apex court. 

He has been one of the most vocal critics of the scores of drone attacks carried out by CIA-operated drones in Pakistan's volatile tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.