Pakistan had once again condemned the US drone strike, in the similar way as earlier, describing it as a violation of its sovereignty.Various countries including Afghanistan, USA and Pakistan had admitted the death of Taliban’s chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour after DNA test results.
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Meanwhile a spokesman from Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has confirmed Mansour’s killing following a DNA match with one of his relatives who had come from Afghanistan to take the body.
“It is confirmed that Mullah Mansour was killed in the United States drone strike in Noshki area of Balochistan”, Interior Ministry’s spokesperson said.
Muhammad Azam, a Pakistani citizen, was driving Mansour from the Pakistan-Iran border to Quetta, capital of Pakistan’s Balochistan province, when a US drone destroyed the vehicle in the Koshki area of Noshki district, killing them both.
On Wednesday Azam’s brother, Muhammad Qasim, filed a First Information Report with Pakistani police in which he accuses America of committing murder, terrorism and damage to property in the strike, The Washington Post reported.
He has been described as an “obstacle to peace” as he is said to be actively preventing other Taliban commanders from having peace talks with representatives of the Afghan government.
Drone attacks have proven extremely controversial with the Pakistani public and rights groups.
Estimates vary of the number of alleged fighters and civilians killed in drone strikes, which have risen since Obama took office in 2009.
So how much of a forewarning, if any, did Pakistan have of the drone attack that killed Mullah Mansour?
The announcement came on the same day that it was revealed the family of Mansour’s driver, who was also killed in the drone strike, plan to sue the U.S., Fox News reported.
His brother Mohammad Qasim is bringing murder and terrorism charges against the USA, arguing that Azam was an innocent man, providing for his four children when he was killed.
The two sides reportedly discussed bilateral ties, the border situation the Afghan reconciliation process, and several matters of importance including the fate of Afghan peace process following the death of Mulla Mansour.
However, President Ashraf Ghani’s embattled government has made no real effort to initiate action against the Pakistani Taliban and the Baloch separatists who are based in Afghanistan and are launching attacks in Pakistan.
US officials say that the strike was justified because Mansour was plotting to attack USA citizens. He said the death of Mansour sent a clear and direct message to the world that the US would continue to stand with Afghanistan.
Pakistan officially confirmed Mansour’s killing on Thursday.
Former military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, acknowledged after leaving office that he had given limited permission to the USA to conduct the drone strikes in Fata by flying in a well-defined air corridor, but it is no secret that the Americans exploited the opportunity by expanding the area of their operations and also its intensity.
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Top cleric, Maulvi Haibatullah Akhundzada, was chosen as the new chief in a swift transition of power after officially confirming the death of Mansour.
