Pak under certain compulsions not to hit US drones: Rabbani

Islamabad, Jan 27 (ANI): The Leader of the House in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, has said that Pakistan has certain limitations and compulsions that were preventing it from hitting down US drones.

Replying to Senator Khurshid Ahmad in the Senate, Rabbani further said that that a strong protest has been lodged with US Ambassador Anne W Patterson on border violations of Pakistan, following the installation of the new government in the US.

Senators both from treasury and Opposition benches called for early conclusion of military operation in Swat and pulling out armed forces from the Valley, The Nation reported.

Senators from both sides of the political divide asked the PPP-led Government to work out an effective strategy for restoring peace in the restive Valley, before the militancy comes down to Islamabad and plains of the country.

Senator Ilyas Bilour, while initiating debate on the motion, said that forces responsible for the fall of Dhaka were backing militancy in the scenic Valley.

He said that provincial government had no writ in the district and that the federal government should take effective measures for bringing peace back to the once most liberal and peaceful Valley.

Bilour said that Swat be declared a war zone, as people were feeling a complete absence of security in the Valley.

Senator Abdur Rahim Mandokhel said that NWFP was experiencing the worst kind of barbarism, but parliamentarians were not feeling the intensity of the situation.

He said that banning female education in Swat resembled acts of Changez Khan who blazed libraries in the Muslim world. He said that if the Taliban wished to impose their brand of Islam in the region, then, he suggested, they should contest elections.

Senator Razina Alam Khan said that the Valley once had the best education system with more than 1500 schools including 571 for girls. She said that destruction of girls' schools was anti-Islamic as getting education was the duty of every Muslim.

Senator Haji Adeel said that Swat Valley was once the most liberal and safest place for tourism. He said that government's failure to implement Sharia regulations worsened the situation in the district. (ANI)