1. Introduction

a. Drones started in June 2004 when in the first strike Nek Muhammad was killed
b. American drones operating in Pakistan (FATA), Yemen, and Somalia

2. Causes behind Drone Strikes

a. According Dr. Akbar: this is a war against a civilization (muslims) and he endorses the idea of ‘Clash of Civilizations’, a brain-child of an American political-scientist Samuel P. Huntington
b. Threat to International peace and security
c. Post 9/11 era
d. So called ‘War on terror’

3. Drone Strikes and Number of Casualties

a. Various Reports and Conflicting Numbers
i. According to FATA Secretariat: more than 350 drone strikes have taken place since 2004
ii. Amnesty International 2013 report: 900 civilians have been killed since 2008
iii. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism report 2013: 300 civilians killed since 2008
iv. New American Foundation report 2013: 185 civilians have been killed since 2008
v. Associated Press (AP) : 56 civilians killed from 2010 to 2012
vi. Defense Ministry of Pakistan: 67 civilians killed since 2008
b. Causes of Conflicting Numbers
i. No proper counting has been made
ii. No access to the militancy hit FATA for the journalists

4. Dr. Akbar Ahmed’s view on Drones (in his book ‘The Thistle and The Drone)

a. He suggests that the drones must stop because they are counterproductive and have more disadvantages than the advantages.

5. Najam Sethi’s View on Drones in Pakistan

a. He is of the view that the drones are more productive as the militants are very difficult to catch because of their complex hideouts. Drones have much precision than the conventional arms attacks which cause more civilians causalities.

6. United Nations’ take on Drone Strikes

a. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay said that she was gravely concerned over the use of armed drones and the human rights violations in the militancy hit tribal areas of Pakistan.
b. UN passed a unanimous resolution in December 2013 against drones in Pakistan but in vain as the US continues to launch the drone strikes in tribal areas of Pakistan as usual.

7. Amnesty International in its October 2013 report said that the Obama Administration may guilty of war crimes

a. This does justify the view that the drones are lethal and counterproductive as they violate the international laws and challenge the sovereignty of the victim countries.

8. Implications of Drones in Pakistan

a. Increasing terrorism
b. Declining economy – reducing FDI, increasing budget deficit, capital flight, brain drain, hyperflation etc.
c. Torn apart social fabric
d. Psychological impacts for the tribal people

9. Dealing with the Drones

a. Taking the issue to the UN
b. Consensus development on the issue to be resolved
c. Taking the issue directly to the US and persuading the Obama Administration that the drone attacks are counterproductive

10. Conclusion



Please suggest if anything can be added to it.


Thanking in advance