Rauf Klasra / The International News & Pakistan Tribune & APP.com – 2007-08-13 23:22:03
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/top_story_detail.asp?Id=9023
Pakistan Seeks Compensation from NATO
Rauf Klasra / The International News
LONDON (August 4, 2007) — Pakistan has demanded of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to pay compensation for the killings of 65 innocent civilians in air strikes inside its territory.
The demand was made by a Pakistani delegation, which was attending a six-day parliamentary meeting held at the NATO headquarters at Brussels from July 8.
The civilians, a majority of who were children and women, were killed during aerial and missile attacks in South and North Waziristan.
The Afghan delegation also backed Pakistan’s claim and demanded compensation for its civilians too.
Afghan civilians are the worst victims of aerial attacks by the allied forces.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed and its members included PPPP Senators Enver Baig, Shujal Malik, Senate Secretary Raja Mohammad Amin, Rashid Ahmed, Jamil Qureshi, Ms Iffat Mustafa.
Delegations of countries where NATO forces are presently engaged also attended the briefings.
Senator Enver Baig had stirred the proceedings, when he raised the issue of loss of human lives during NATO operations in Pakistan and demanded financial compensation for the loss of 65 men, women and children.
He raised several questions during the briefings given by NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and Supreme Commander of NATO forces General John Craddock about the NATO operations within Afghanistan.
Baig also questioned the validity and legality of the NATO operations in the Pakistani territory as he claimed that allied forces were mandated to carry out operations within Afghanistan alone.
Enver Baig told NATO officials that allied forces had no legal or international mandate to conduct raids in Pakistan. He wondered how NATO had carried out strikes in the Pakistan territory without a UN mandate.
He asked whether there was any proposal to pay compensations to those killed in the tribal areas of Pakistan.
Baig also asked NATO officials about the deadline of completion of NATO mission in Afghanistan.
But, he was told by the NATO secretary-general and the NATO commander that they could not give any timeframe of pulling back forces from Afghanistan.
On the issue of financial compensation, NATO officials said they had no idea as no such demand was made before.
However, they admitted that a pool existed in the budget of NATO forces meant for compensation of such killings during the war.
Enver Baig also questioned NATO for policing the Mediterranean waters without getting a nod from the international community. He rather passed a sarcastic comment that the policing of NATO forces reminded him of ‘old pirates’ that caused a big laughter in the meeting.
Senator Baig also pointed out that unless causes of rise of Muslim militancy around the world were addressed, conflicts would not cease.
He explained that Palestine, invasion of Iraq, Afghanistan and Kashmir dispute were the major factors that were contributing to the spread of Muslim militancy and the NATO countries needed to play their role in resolving these conflicts.
Baig warned that without their resolution, the violent conflicts would continue to add fuel to the fire in the Muslim countries.
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Pak Seeks Compensation from NATO for Killing its Civilians
Pakistan Tribune
BRUSSELS: (July 16, 2007) — Pakistan has sought compensation money from North Atlantic Territory Organization (NATO) for killing its civilians in border areas of the country while Afghanistan while supporting the Pakistani stance also demanded compensation money for killing its civilians.
The Pakistani delegation led by Senator Mushahid Hussain who is currently in Brussels visited the NATO Headquarters, Private TV Channel reported on Sunday. NATO briefed the delegation about the ongoing operation in Afghanistan.
On the occasion, Senator Anwar Baig has demanded compensation money from NATO for killing its 65 civilians including women and children during bombardment in North and South Waziristan by violating country sovereignty.
Senator Anwar Baig added that NATO has no mandate to launch operation outside the Afghanistan in Pakistan areas adding that it was the violation of International laws.
Pakistani security forces are taking action against terrorist and extremist in its soil, he maintained adding that no outsider can launch operation in Pakistani territory. The delegation also demanded the NATO to announce its schedule regarding exclusion of its forces and completion of the operation in Afghanistan.
Meanwhile, supporting the Pakistani stance, the Afghan delegation also asked NATO to provide money for the compensation of innocent people who killed during operation against Taliban in Afghanistan. The allied forces based in Afghanistan should avoid killing of civilians because it is intolerable.
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Senate Parliamentary Delegation Returns from Brussels
APP/com
ISLAMABAD (July 17, 2007): — Senate parliamentary delegation headed by Chairman Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed returned home after forcefully defending and projecting Pakistan’s perspective on war in terror and security issue in NATO conference.
The multi-party Senate delegation including Anwar Baig, Seemi Siddiqui, Engineer Rashid Ahmed and Shuja ul Mulak held meetings with NATO leaders and explained Pakistan’s point of view on various issues.
Leader of the delegation Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed said the senators had detailed interaction with NATO General John Craddock and Secretary General NATO Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. He said both of them appreciated Pakistan’s role and contribution in stabilizing situation in Afghanistan.
Senator Mushahid said he thanked NATO forces for their humanitarian assistance provided to Pakistan after October 2005 earthquake.
Mushahid lauded the role of PPP Senator Anwar Baig who demanded compensation from NATO for killing of civilians due to firing by NATO forces.
He said the senate delegation interacted with 20 other parliamentary delegation and NATO parliamentary assembly members. He said Pakistani delegation also offered to hold a seminar jointly with NATO Parliamentarians on strategic issues.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
