US intervention criticised: lawyers back PTI's sit-in against drone attacks

The lawyers' wing of three political parties in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Thursday announced to support the sit-in of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) drone strikes in tribal areas, saying growing US intervention will not be tolerated in the country. Addressing a news conference, Secretary PTI Lawyers Forum, Khyber Paktunkhwa, Saifullah Khan Khattak said that the government and ruling political parties are helpless to end US hegemony in the county.
Khattak said that the PTI has initiated a movement to create awareness among masses through staging two-day sit-in near Hayatabad to block supply of Nato forces in Afghanistan. He observed that the situation is going from bad to worse due to the supplying of arms, ammunitions and goods to Nato troops in Afghanistan via Pak-Afghan border.
He observed that innocent tribal people are being targeted in US drone attacks, and even Jirga and funerals are not safe from American unmanned plane incursion. He said government has failed to protect life and property of the masses. Ghulam Nabi, President Islamic Lawyer Movement welcomed PTI step to stage sit-in against US drone attacks, saying all political parties are following the same pattern to quell US increasing interference inside Pakistan territory. He alleged that drone attacks are carried out with the consent of the ruling coalition government and security agencies. The US has acknowledged that the predator strikes are fired from inside Pakistan, he maintained.
He also expressed deep concern over the growing US intervention, saying there are more than 700 CIA operatives indulged in spying activities. He demanded immediate quit of CIA secret mission from Pakistan. President Islamic Lawyer Movement also said the coalition government is responsible for the massacre of innocent Paktuns in the name of 'so called war against terrorism'. He called for snapping US-coalition for war against terrorism and reviewing foreign policy altogether.
S.M Sabir from Muslim League-Nawaz Lawyers Forum and Bilal Khan Durrani of Pakistan Peoples Party Sherpao Lawyer Forum also expressed solidarity with PTI and said that they will fully participate in the programme of two-day sit-in. Scores of lawyers were also present on the occasion. Meanwhile, addressing at a press conference here at Peshawar press club, PTI provincial activist, Iqbal Afridi said that the US drone attacks are disrespect to the sovereignty, independence, integrity and solidarity of the country. He said that peace of the country has adversely shaken due to the growing US interference, saying government has failed to protect lives and properties of the masses.