UNHCR "profoundly disturbed" at human rights implications of drone attacks

GENEVA: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay has said that she was gravely concerned over the use of armed drones in Pakistan's extremist-infested tribal belt bordering on Afghanistan.

" I am profoundly disturbed at the human rights implications of the use of armed drones in the context of counter terrorism and military operations", said he in her statement on the opening day of the 23rd Session of Human Rights Council.

She also criticized the failure of the US in shutting down the Guantanamo detention center and said that "measures that violate human rights did not uproot terrorism, they nurture it".

This is the first time the high commissioner has spoken out so strongly on these issues.

Her statement echoes Pakistan's long-held position that counter-terrorism measures like drone attacks are counter-productive.

Endorsing Pillay, Ambassador Zamir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, said Pakistan had been making a similar argument for many years.

Ambassador Akram recently said "We have heard statements revising such tactics but we have heard such claims before - only to be negated by contrary actions". He added that it was time to walk the talk.

He went ahead to make a reference to the recent judgment by the Peshawar High Court that stated that the use of drone was a violation of the UN Charter and international human rights and humanitarian law and demanded that those responsible be brought to justice and the affected people be compensated.

The strong statement made by the high commissioner for Human Rights is the result of concerted efforts by Pakistan to highlight the issue of extrajudicial and target killings through use of drones at multilateral forums.

In this context, the government invited the high commissioner to visit Pakistan last year. After her visit, the high commissioner raised the issue of drones for the first time in the Human Rights Council. (APP)