A Record of U.S. Drone Attacks in Pakistan

For the use of news analysts, bloggers and researchers, I have compiled following record of US attacks on Taliban on Pakistan's territory. I could gather the news items about a total of 84 drone (un-manned predator planes) attacks on Pakistan by US forces since June 2004 to Jan 2010. If you can add to it with a reference, please do. Your posts and comments are warmly welcomed. I hope this post is useful for the readers.
June 18, 2004
5 killed, including Nek Muhammad Wazir, near Wana, South Waziristan. Source Dawn
May 14, 2005
Haitham al-Yemeni killed in a strike near the Afghan border in North Waziristan. Source: Washington Post 
November 30, 2005
Al-Qaeda's #3, Abu Hamza Rabia, killed in an attack in Asoray, near Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan. Source: Daily Telegraph 
January 13, 2006
An airstrike kills 18 in Damadola, Bajaur, but misses Ayman al-Zawahri. Source: Telegraph
April 26, 2007
4 killed in the village of Saidgai in North Waziristan. Source: AP
June 19, 2007
20 killed in the village of Mami Rogha in North Waziristan. Source: Washington Post 

November 2, 2007

5 killed in an attack on a madrasa in a village outside Miran Shah, North Waziristan. Source New York Times
January 29, 2008
Senior al-Qaeda commander Abu Laith al-Libi, as well as seven Arabs and six Central Asians, died in a missile strike that hit a village near Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: BBC
February 27, 2008
12 people killed in a strike near Kalosha village in South Waziristan. Source: Al Jazeera
March 16, 2008
16 killed in a strike in Shahnawaz Kheil Dhoog, South Waziristan. The dead included nine Islamist militants, including one Arab and two Turkmen fighters. Source: ITN
May 14, 2008
12 people, including Abu Sulayman Al-Jazairi, an al-Qaeda leader from Algeria, killed near the hamlet of Khaza, in the Damadola area of Bajaur. The missiles hit the compound of Maulavi Ismail, where militants had gathered for dinner. Source:Dawn 
July 28, 2008
South Waziristan missile strike in Zeralita, Azam Warsak, kills 6 al-Qaeda operatives, including Midhat Mursi, a notorious bomb maker who trained Richard Reid and Zacarias Moussaoui. Originally form Egypt, Mursi ran the Derunta training camp in Afghanistan. Source: Reuters 
August 31, 2008
Missile strike on Al-Qaeda training camp in Tappi, Miramshah, North Waziristan kills two militants carrying Canadian passports, as well as six others, including two women. Source: Our Bombs
September 8, 2008
23 killed in Daande Darpkhel airstrike in Daande Darpkhel near Miranshah, North Waziristan. The targets of the airstrike were Jalaluddin Haqqani and his son Sirajuddin. Haqqani escaped, but 8 of his grandchildren were among the dead. Source: NYTimes
September 12, 2008
12 killed in Miranshah airstrike on two separate buildings. Seven Taliban are among the dead. Source: BBC 
September 30, 2008
6 killed in a strike near Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: Telegraph
October 16, 2008
Senior Al-Qaeda leader Khalid Habib, an Egyptian citizen, is killed in a strike near Taparghai, South Waziristan, along with five other al-Qaeda or Taliban members. Long War Journal
October 22, 2008
4 killed in a village near Miranshah by missiles fired from suspected US drone. Source: Reuters 
October 26, 2008
20 killed in a strike in Mandatta, South Waziristan. Top Taliban commander Mohammad Omar is among the dead. Source: BBC
October 31, 2008
20 killed, including Al-Qaeda operative Abu Akash and Mohammad Hasan Khalil al-Hakim (alias Abu Jihad al-Masri), after 2 missiles hit near Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: The Times of London
October 31, 2008
In the second targeted assassination of the day, two missiles hit a house near Wana, the main town of South Waziristan. The building was a terrorist hideout, and up to 12 rebels died. Source: The Time 
November 14, 2008
12 killed in a strike in a village outside Miranshah. A Pakistani security official said that nine foreign militants - believed to be al-Qaeda fighters - were among those killed. Source: The Times 
November 19, 2008
Abdullah Azam al-Saudi, along with five other al-Qaeda militants, killed in Bannu district. US intelligence officials had identified him as the main link between Al-Qaeda's senior command and Taliban networks in the Pakistani border region with Afghanistan. Source: Newsweek
November 22, 2008
British-Pakistani al-Qaeda operative Rashid Rauf and 4 others, including Abu Zubair al-Masri, killed in a strike in Ali Khel, North Waziristan. Source: NYTimes 
December 22, 2008
At least 8 killed in South Waziristan by suspected US drone strike. Source: VOA
January 1, 2009
2 senior al-Qaeda leaders, Usama al-Kini and Sheikh Ahmed Salim Swedan, killed in a missile strike. Both men had long been on the FBI's Most Wanted list for their role in the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. Source: Fox News
January 23, 2009
In the first attacks since Barack Obama became US president, at least 14 killed in Waziristan in 2 separate attacks by 5 missiles fired from drones. Missile #1 hit a house in a village called Zarakai near the town of Mirali, North Waziristan. Source: BBC
January 23, 2009
In the first attacks since Barack Obama became US president, at least 14 killed in Waziristan in 2 separate attacks by 5 missiles fired from drones. Missile #2 was aimed at the house of a Taliban commander about 6 miles from Wana, South Waziristan. Source: BBC
February 14, 2009
More than 30 killed when two missiles are launched by drones near town of Makin in South Waziristan. Source: NYTimes 
February 16, 2009
Strike in Baggan village in the Kurram Valley kills 30, reportedly at a Taliban training camp for fighters preparing to combat coalition forces in Afghanistan. Source: Guardian
March 1, 2009
Strike in Sararogha village in South Waziristan kills 7 people. Source: BBC
March 12, 2009
24 killed in attack in Berju in Kurram Agency. Source: Dawn
March 15, 2009
4 killed in Jani Khel in Bannu district in North-West Frontier Province. Source: NYTimes
March 25, 2009
7 killed in attacks on 2 vehicles by two missiles in Makin area of South Waziristan. Source: BBC
March 26, 2009
A strike killed 4 militants in the Essokhel area, around 19 miles east of Mir Ali town in the North Waziristan tribal region. Source: Times of India
April 1, 2009
14 killed in Orakzai Agency tribal area. Source: BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7975871.stm
April 4, 2009
13 killed in North Waziristan, 20 miles west of the region's main town of Miranshah. Source: Reuters 
April 8, 2009
4 killed in attack on a vehicle in Gangi Khel in South Waziristan. Source: Dawn 
April 19, 2009
At least 3 killed and 5 injured in an attack in South Waziristan. Source: BBC
April 29, 2009
Strike in Kanni Garam village in South Waziristan kills 6 people. Source: Dawn
May 9, 2009
A strike in Sararogha in South Waziristan kills 6 people. Source: Dawn
May 12, 2009
A strike in Sra Khawra village in South Waziristan kills 8 people. Source: BBC
May 16, 2009
A strike in the village of Sarkai Naki in North Waziristan kills 25 people. Many of the dead were Pakistani militants belonging to a group led by Hafiz Gul Bahadar. A Pakistani intelligence official identified one of the Arab men killed by the drone airstrike as Asad al-Misri. Source: NYTimes
June 14, 2009
A strike on a vehicle in South Waziristan kills 5 people. Source: Reuters 
June 18, 2009
A strike in Shahalam village in South Waziristan kills 5 people. Source: Xinhua
June 23, 2009 #1
A strike in Neej Narai in South Waziristan kills at least 8 people. The remote area, about 65 kilometers north of the main district town of Wana, is under the control of Baitullah Mehsud's Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Source: Dawn
June 23, 2009 #2
An airstrike in Makin kills over 60 people but misses Baitullah Mehsud. Many of the dead were attending the funerals of people killed in air strikes earlier that day. The strike is likely the deadliest drone attack to date. Source: NYTimes 
July 3, 2009
US Drone kills 17 people and injures a further 27. Source: Press TV
July 7, 2009
A strike on a militant compound in the Zangarha area 9 miles north-east of the town of Ladha in South Waziristan kills at least 12 people. Source: BBC
July 8, 2009 #1
A strike on a hideout in Karwan Manza area, some six miles south-east of Ladha, kills at least 10 militants. and on a vehicle convoy in South Waziristan kills at least 50 people. Source: BBC
July 8, 2009 #2
In the second attack of the day, 40 militants died when five missiles hit a vehicle convoy on the main road between Ladha and Sararogha in South Waziristan. Source: BBC
July 17, 2009
A strike on a house in North Waziristan, 19 miles from Miranshah, kills 4 people. Source: BBC
August 5, 2009
A strike in the Zangar area of South Waziristan killed 12, including Baitullah Mehsud, his wife, and his wife's parents. The Pakistani Taliban leader's death was confirmed after weeks of uncertainty. Source: Guardian
August 11, 2009
A strike in Ladha village, South Waziristan, kills 10. Source: BBC
August 21, 2009
A missile strike on the village of Darpa Kheil, North Waziristan, reportedly targeting Sirajuddin Haqqani, kills at least 21 people. Source: BBC
August 27, 2009
A missile strike on the Tapar Ghai area in the Kanigram district of South Waziristan kills 8 people. One of the dead was reportedly Tohir Yo‘ldosh, leader of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Source: BBC
September 8, 2009
Drone-fired missiles kill 10 in Dargamandi, North Waziristan. The attack may have killed al-Qaeda leaders Ilyas Kashmiri and Mustafa al Jaziri, as well as three Punjabi militants and two or three local Taliban fighters. Source: Al Jazeera
September 14, 2009
Drone-fired missile kills four people in a car 1.5 miles from Mir Ali in North Waziristan. Source: Military Times
September 24, 2009
Drone-fired missile kills up to 12 people in the village of Dande Darpa Khel near Mir Ali. Source: Military Times
September 29, 2009 #1
In the first strike of the day, a drone attack reportedly kills six Taliban, including two Uzbek fighters and Taliban commander Irfan Mehsud, in a compound in Sararogha village, South Waziristan. Source: Daily Times 
September 29, 2009 #2
In the second strike of the day, a missile killed seven insurgents in a house in Dande Darpa Khel village, North Waziristan. Source: Daily Times
October 15, 2009
U.S. drone missile kills at least four people in Darpa Khel in North Waziristan. Source: BBC
October 21, 2009
A U.S. drone missile killed two or three alleged militants in Spalaga, North Waziristan, in territory controlled by Hafiz Gul Bahadur. One of those killed was reportedly Abu Ayyub al-Masri (not the same as Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the al-Qaeda in Iraq leader), an explosives expert for al-Qaeda and a "Tier 1" target of US counter-terrorism operations. Source: The Australian 
October 24, 2009
A U.S. drone strike kills 27 in Damadolla, inside Bajaur tribal agency. The 27 victims were reportedly a mix of Taliban and al-Qaeda operatives in a strategy meeting. The dead include 11 "foreigners." One of those reported killed is Faqir Mohammed's nephew, Zahid, and another is Mohammed's unnamed son-in-law. The meeting was apparently being held to decide on whether to reinforce South Wazaristan against Pakistani forces. Source: The Nation
November 5, 2009
2 killed in Miranshah, North Waziristan. Source: Turkish Weekly
November 18, 2009
4 killed and 5 injured in Shanakhora village of North Waziristan, 12 miles south of Miranshah. Source: AFP
November 20, 2009
8 killed in the Machikhel area near the town of Mir Ali. Source: BBC
December 8, 2009
3 killed in a car near Miranshah in North Waziristan, reportedly including 2 al-Qaeda members. Senior al-Qaeda planner Saleh al-Somali, a Somali citizen, is believed to have died in this strike. Source: BBC
December 9, 2009
Six killed in Tanga, Ladha, South Waziristan, four of whom are al-Qaeda -- and two Taliban. Source: Long War Journal
December 17, 2009 #1
17 killed in 2 separate attacks in North Waziristan in an area controlled by Hafiz Gul Bahadur. In the first attack, two missiles hit a car near Dosali, killing two. Source: Military Times 
December 17, 2009 #2
In the second attack of the day, 10 missiles fired by five drones hit two compounds in Ambarshaga, killing 15 people. Unnamed sources stated that seven of the dead were "foreigners." Source: Military Times
December 18, 2009

3 killed in an attack in Dattakhel region in North Waziristan. Source: BBC
December 26, 2009
13 killed in an attack in Saidgai village in North Waziristan. Source: Xinhua 
December 31, 2009
At least 3 killed in an attack in Machikhel village in North Waziristan. According to The Frontier Post, senior Taliban leader and strong Haqqani ally Haji Omar Khan, brother of Arif Khan, was killed in the strike, along with the son of local tribal leader Karim Khan. Source: CNN 
January 1, 2010
A missile strike on a vehicle near Ghundikala village in North Waziristan kills 3. Source: Dawn
January 3, 2010
5 militants including 3 Arabs killed in an attack on Mosakki village around Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Source: Dawn
January 6, 2010
2 separate missile strikes one hour apart kill approximately 20-25 people in Sanzalai village, North Waziristan. The attacks were the deadliest since a suicide bomber killed 7 CIA officers and injured 6 others at Forward Operating Base Chapman in Afghanistan, used by the CIA to coordinate drone attacks in Pakistan. Source: New York Times
January 8, 2010
A missile strike in Tappi village in North Waziristan kills 5 people. All the militants killed were local and attached to Taliban Commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur. Source: AFP
January 9, 2010
Strike kills one of FBI's most wanted terrorists: Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, a member of al-Qaeda and Abu Nidal. In total, 4 killed and 3 injured when 2 missiles are fired on a compound in Ismail Khan in North Waziristan, which is territory of the Haqqani network. Source: AP
January 14, 2010
Pakistani Taliban leader Hakimullah Mehsud is said to be wounded in an attack that kills 15 militants in Shaktoi, South Waziristan. Source: CNN
January 15, 2010 
A drone missile attack killed five militants in Zanini, outside Mir Ali in North Waziristan. Source: AFP
January 15, 2010
Second missile strike of the day kills 6 in Bichi village in North Waziristan. Source: AFP
January 17, 2010
In the 9th drone attack of 2010, four missiles slammed into a house in the Shaktoi area of South Waziristan. The house targeted was used by Usman Jan, head of the al-Qaeda-linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Five Uzbeks were killed in the strike, and the rest were Pakistani Taliban. Source: AP 
January 19, 2010
Two missiles fired at a compound in the Booya village of the Datakhel sub-division, 20 miles west of Miranshah in North Waziristan kill at least 6 militants. Source: Voice of America

If you want to see the geographical distribution of the drone attacks, please watch on Google Map.

The approximate locations of U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan since 2004. Strikes prior to 2008 are yellow, those in 2008 during the Bush administration are red, and strikes during the Obama administration in 2009-2010 are green. Most strikes are on Pashtun villages in North and South Waziristan in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border.

Proposed Agenda for Supreme Court: Corrupt Generals!

The main charges mentioned against the high officials of the armed forces in the petition include amongst others: 

1. Air Chief Marshal Abbas Khattak (retired) had received Rupees 180 million as kickbacks in the purchase of 40 old Mirage fighters. 
2. Air Chief Marshal, Farooq Feroz Khan was suspected of receiving a five percent commission on the purchase of 40 F-7 planes worth $271 million. 
3. In 1996, the army bought 1047 GS-90s jeeps, at a cost of $20,889 per unit. The market value of a jeep then was only $13,000. According to the then National Accountability Bureau (NAB) some senior army officers made Rs. 510 million on the deal. 
4. One hundred and eleven army men received 400 plots in Bahawalpur and Rahim Yar Khan districts of Punjab province, at throwaway prices of Rs 47.50 per kanal (a kanal is about 600 Sq Yards), as against the actual price of Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 (1US $=Rs. 56). Another 35,000 kanals were distributed among them as gifts. 
5. Six respondents got 400 kanals in Punjab while the former chairman of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Lt. Gen Mohammad Amjad was allotted a two-kanal plot on the Sarwar Road in Lahore for just Rs. 800,000 – payable in installments over 20 years. The market value of this plot was then Rs. 20 million. General Pervez Musharraf acquired a commercial plot worth Rs. 20 million at DHA in Lahore for just Rs. 100,000 (then UK£ 960) payable over 20 years. As mentioned in the report of Director General Defence Services, a loss of Rs. 5 Billion was incurred due to such allotments. 
6. The army awarded a contract for the purchase of 1000 Hino trucks at $ 40,000 per unit while the local Gandhara Industries (the Hino assembling company in Karachi Pakistan), had offered trucks of the same specification for US$ 25,000 a piece. In a purchase of 3000 Land Rover jeeps in 1995, Army officials allegedly received around Rs 2 Billion as kickbacks. 
7. The Army management at the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) raised the power tariff 13 times during the last three years (from 1999 to 2002) besides purchasing electric meters at Rs 1,050 a piece against the open market price of Rupees 456, causing a loss of Rupees 1.65 Billion to the national exchequer. 
8. In 1996, the Pakistan Navy spent Rupees 13 Million installing air-conditioners at the Islamabad Golf Club without any justification. 

The same website reports some other major scams involving serving or ex members of the military junta which were as follows: 

1. General Jahangir Karamat, former Chief of Army Staff, took kickbacks of more than US$ 20 Million from a Ukrainian tank company for purchase of 300 Ukrainian tanks through a middleman named Col Mahmood, a brother corps officer of Karamat. 
2. According to Mr. Rauf Klasra, reporter of The News, many top military officers had their loans written off. This fortunate lot included five lieutenant generals, two major generals and a battalion of other senior uniformed beneficiaries, with some army managed institutions to boot. 
3. The army controlled institutions also got their share from the national plunder when the Army Welfare Trust (AWT) got a massive loan of Rs 14.49 Million written off from a state-owned financial entity, which is now defunct (hardly a surprising fate). Some of the cases were, however, genuine, as their loans were written off in accordance with the rules. 
4. According to the official list of loan write-off beneficiaries tabled in the National Assembly, Lt General (retired) Ali Kuli Khan and his father Lt General Habibullah Khan had their loans written off. The list shows that General Kuli Khan got two loans written off from the Allied Bank of Pakistan while he was still serving in the Army in the mid 90s. The first loan was of Rs 1.8 million and second was Rs. 1.6 million outstanding against Janana De Malucho Textile Mills Limited, Kohat owned by his father General (retired) Habibullah Khan. General Kuli was then one of the directors of the textile mills. After the death of General Habib, he became the chief executive of this textile unit. General Habib, too, was a beneficiary of this loan write off. 
5. Lt General (retired) K M Azhar, who later became active in politics, of Rex Breen Batteries got Rs 16 million written off by the Agriculture Development Bank. 
6. Lt General (retired) SA Burkey and Lt General (retired) Safdar Butt also figure amongst the happy generals benefiting from the state institutions generosity. Another prominent name on the list is that of Air Marshal (retired) A Rahim Khan. 
7. Air Marshal (retired) Viqar Azeem also got Rs 15 million written off from Pakistani Kuwait Investment Co. Lt General (retired) SA Burkey, Major General Zahid Ali Akbar, Brig MM Mahmood, Begum Omar Mahmood, Saeed Ahmedalso got loans written off. 
8. Gohar Ayub Khan, Mr. Raza Kuli Khan brother of General Ali Kuli Khan also got a loan of Rs 7.2 million written off against Rehana Woolen Mills. The loan was written off by the financial institution SAPICO. 
9. Major General (retired) M Mumtaz from Abbottabad, Lt Colonel (retired) Shaukat and Major (retd) Tajuddin Rs 1.2 million, Major General (retired) Ghaziuddn are also in the list. Major General (retired) G Umar also got Rs 8.5 millionwritten off from the Agriculture Development Bank. 
10. Lt General (retired) Safdar Butt, Major General (retired) Abdullah Malik, Brig (retired) M M Mahmood, Col (retired) M Zafar Khan, Mohammad Afzal Khan, Mrs Hamida Farhat also got benefits from the UBL. General (retired) Abdullah had resigned after the military coup of General Zia and had opposed the military take over of July 1977.

The list also names:

1. Brigadier (retired) M A Baig and Qamar Ahmad, BA Siddiqi, Zubair Rashid, Mohammad Sadiq Baig, Riazur Rehman, Mrs Mamomnna Khatoon, Mrs Mehr Riaz, Mr Taufiq Ahmed Rs 1.09 million (UBL). 
2. Lt-Colonel (retired) Ch M Anis Ahmed, Colonel Atta ullah, Shahid Atta, Mst Qamar un Nisa Rs 2.6 million
3. Irfan Rice Mills of Colonel (retired) Nazar Hussain Rs 1.6 million
4. Mehr Textile Mills, Chakwal, Colonel Mohammad Ayub Khan, Ch Nisar Ali Khan, Ch Asad Ali Khan, Mrs Sultana Zakia, Mohammad Nawaz, Ch Ghulam Ali Khan. Major General (retired) Khadim H. Raja, Air Marshal (retired) A Rahim Khan, Mrs Sattar Azim Khan also got loan written off.
5. Mohammad Textile Mills Limited of Air Commodore (retired) Amanullah got a loan of Rs. 95 million  written off from the United Bank Limited (UBL). 
6. Air Vice Marshal (retired) Ata Elahi Sheikh of the National Fructose Limited also got Rs 43 million written off. 
7. Sairani Cotton Ginning Factory owners Capt (retired) Shahraz Latif and his business partners Shahnaz Latif, Ch Mohammad Ashraf also got loan written off.
8. Air Marshal (retired) A Rashid Sheikh, Air vice Marshal (retired) S Moinur Rab, Group Captain (retired) Mohammad Ismal Khan, Salman Rashid of Sky Rooms Limited got Rs 8.4 million loan written off.
9. Brigadier (retired) SM Bakar Naqvi, Mian Ahmed Rabbani, Pervez Iftikar Khan, Abdul Aziz, NM Khanzada and Major (retired) Afzalul Haq also among the beneficiaries. 
10. Colonel (retired) M Yaqoob of Aswan Tentage and Canvas got a huge loan of Rs 276 million written off from Bankers Equity. His other business partners were Colonel (retired) M. Yaqoob, Mohamamd Afzal Chugtai, Mohammad Siddiqi, Haji Ghulam Sabir and Idris Ahmed Butt.
11. Farook Pulp of Mjaor Nasim A Farooqi, Naeem A Farooqi, Pervez Farooqi, Munir Ahmed Khan and Saleem Farooqi got loan of Rs 2.1 million loan written off. 
12. Captain (retired) Shaukat of Locus Enterprises got Rs 8.8 million written off. His business partners were Wiqar Abbas, Khalid Khan, Colonel (retired) M Sadiq Khan, Nabil Hasan, Masoud Abbasi and Abdul Razak.
13. Raja Iftikar Kiani of Ms Alliance Textile Mills, Jhelum got a wavier of Rupees 16 million from the Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB).
14. Lieutenant-Colonel, who owned the Meditex Intl got Rs 6.322 million written off from the HBL. His business partner was Col (retired) Bashir Ahmed.
15. Commander Abdul Latif also got Rs 10 million written off. Shangrila Macropole Inn, Lahore got Rs 4.3 loan written off.
16. Brigadier (retired) Mohammad Aslam Khan and Co got Rs 4.3 million written off.
17. Feroz Sons Textile Mills Mirpur owners Colonel (retired) Munir Hussain, Nasim Farms’s and Major General (retired) Qazi Nasim Majeed are also among the beneficiaries. 
18. Colonel (retired) Saleem of Special Iron and Steel Mills Limited, Lt General (retired) Habibullah Khan, Brigadier (retired) M Jan Hahang M Khandawala, Raza Kuli Khan, Colonel (retired) M Sharif Khan, Begum Tehmina Habibullah, M I Khurram, M Nazir Khan and IA Khurram are also among the beneficiaries. 
19. Major (retired) Mohamamd Anwar, S Aijaz Ali Shah, S Amjad Ali Shah, S Ghulam Qadir, S Aftab Ali Shah, S Ali Gohar Shah, S. Amin Shah also on the list. Lt-Col (retired) M Jaffar, JH Dinshaw Rs 7.2 million, Chemphar Pakistan Limited of Brigadier (retired) Shareef Rahat, Captain (retired) AM Murad and Major (retired) Tariq Baig are also among the beneficiaries. 

Source: http://pkpolitics.com/ 

It is now a challenge for all the civil society and media proponents of a crusade against corruption to urge the judiciary to take notice of the corruption of the generals and take the cases of corruption for regular hearing which have been pending since 2003. 

Objectives Resolution: The Root of Religious Capture of Pakistan

This speech was delivered by Mr. Sris Chandra Chattopadhya in opposition to Objectives Resolution, in Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 12 March 1949

(Courtesy Mr. Mohammad Anwarul Haq)

Mr. Sris Chandra Chattopadhya (East Bengal : General) : Mr. President, I thought, after my colleague, Mr. Bhupendra Kumar Datta, had spoken on the two amendments on behalf of the Congress Party, I would not take any part in this discussion. He appealed, he reasoned and made the Congress position fully clear, but after I heard some of the speakers from the majority party, viz, Muslim League Party, the manner in which they had interpreted the Resolution, it became incumbent on me to take part in this discussion.

I have heard Dr. Malik and appreciate his standpoint. He says that "we got Pakistan for establishing a Muslim State, and the Muslims suffered for it and therefore it was not desireable that anybody should speak against it". I quite agree with him. He said; "If we establish a Muslim State and even if we become reactionaries, who are you to say anything against it?" That is a standpoint which I understand, but here there is some difficulty. We also, on this side, fought for the independence of the country. We worked for the independence of the entire country. When our erstwhile masters, Britishers, were practically in the mood of going away, the country was divided – one part became Pakistan and the other remained India. If in the Pakistan State there would have been only Muslims, the question would have been different. But there are some non-muslims also in Pakistan. When they wanted a division there was no talk of an exchange of population. If there was an exchange of population, there would have been an end of the matter, and Dr. Malik could establish his Pakistan in his own way and frame constitution accordingly. It is also true that the part of Pakistan in which Dr. Malik lives is denuded of non-Muslims. That is clear.

Dr. Omar Hayat Malik: On a point of order, Sir, I never said that. He has understood me quite wrongly.

Mr. Omar Hayat Malik: I never said that Pakistan was denuded of non-Muslims. My friend on the opposite has misunderstood me.

Mr. Sris Chandra Chattopadhya: I say the part in which Dr. Malik lives is denuded of non-Muslims. I did not say that Dr. Malik had said that Pakistan was denuded of non-Muslims. That is clear.

But we belong to East Bengal. One-fourth of the population is still non-Muslim. Therefore, what constitution is to be framed, it is our duty, it is in our interest to look to. We are not going to leave East Bengal. It is our homeland. It is not a land by our adoption. My forefather, founder of my family, came to East Bengal thousand years back on the invitation of the then King of Bengal. I am 27th in decent from him. Therefore, East Bengal is my land. I claim that East Bengal and Eastern Pakistan belongs to me as well as to any Mussalman and it will be my duty to make Pakistan a great, prosperous and powerful State so that it may get a proper place in the comity of nations because I call myself a Pakistani. I wish that Pakistan must be a great State. That will be covetable to Muslims as well as to non-Muslims who are living in East Bengal. A few people from East Bengal have left – may be five per cent and my calculation is not even that. Of course, there are other calculations too – somebody says ten lakhs. We are living in East Bengal peacefully, in peace and amity with out Muslim neighbours as we had been living from generations to generations. Therefore, I am anxious to see that its constitution is framed in such a way which may suit the Muslims as well as the non-Muslims. I have gone carefully through this Resolution and I have carefully, read made-to-order, nicely-worded statement of my esteemed friend, Mr. Liaquat Ali Khan. But after reading the Resolution carefully and reading the statement, even after hearing the speeches of my friends, both the Doctors and others, I cannot change my opinion. I cannot persuade myself to accept this Resolution and my instruction to my party would be to oppose this Resolution.

Now as for the first paragraph:

"Whereas sovereignty over the entire universe belongs to God Almighty alone and the authority which He has delegated to the State of Pakistan through its people for being exercised within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust".

This part of the Resolution, I think, ought to be deleted. All powers, in my opinion, rest with the people and they exercise their power through the agency of the State. State is merely their spokesman. The Resolution makes the State the sole authority received from God Almighty through the instrumentality of people – Nemittamatrona, "Merely instruments of the State". People have no power or authority, they are merely post boxes according to this Resolution. The State will exercise authority within the limits prescribed by Him (God). What are those limits, who will interpret them? Dr. Qureshi or my respected Maulana Shabbir Ahmed Osmani? In case of difference, who will interpret? Surely they are not the people. One day a Louis XIV may come and say "I am the State, anointed by the Almighty" thus paving the way for advent Divine Right of Kings of afresh. Instead of State being the voice of the people, it has been made an adjunct of religion. To me voice of people is the voice of God, "Jatra jiba tatra shiva." The people are the manifestation of God.

In my conception of State where people of different religion live there is no place for religion in the State. Its position must be neutral: no bias for any religion. If necessary, it should help all the religions equally. No question of concession or tolerance to any religion. It smacks of inferiority complex. The State must respect all religions: no smiling face for one and askance look to the other. The state religion is a dangerous principle. Previous instances are sufficient to warn us not to repeat the blunder. We know people were burnt alive in the name of religion. Therefore, my conception is that the sovereignty must rest with the people and not with any body else.

Then about the Constituent Assembly representing the people of Pakistan. This Constituent Assembly was created by a Statute – Indian Independence Act – allotting one member for ten lakhs of people to be elected by the members of the Provincial Assemblies. The members were not elected by the people themselves. They are for the purpose of framing a constitution. They have the legal right to do so but they cannot say that they are the representatives of the people. They are merely a Statutory Body.

Then I come to the fourth paragraph:

"Wherein the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice, as enunciated by Islam, shall be fully observed."

Of course, they are beautiful words: Democracy, freedom, equality, everything. Now about this portion I had some discussion with some Maulanas from the Punjab. What they told me must be from their religious books. I shall repeat here. If I commit blunder, I wish to be corrected.

In this connection you say "equal rights", but at the same time with limitations as enunciated by Islam. Is there any equal right in an Islamic country? Was there any …. An Honourable Member: "There was in Islamic countries." ……. It was not between Muslims and non-Muslims. We are now divided into Congress Party and Muslim League Party here for farming constitution and suppose after framing of this constitution we face election, and parties are formed on different alignment, there may not be Congress, there may not be Muslim League, because the Congress has fulfilled its mission of attaining independence and Muslim League has also got Pakistan. There may be parties of haves and have-nots – and they are bound to be – and have-nots party may have a leader coming form non-Muslims. Will he be allowed to be the head of the administration of a Muslim State? It is not a fact that a non-Muslim cannot be head of the administration in a Muslim State. I discussed this question and I was told that he could not be allowed to be the head of the administration of a Muslim State. Then what is the use of all this. The question is whether there can be Juma Namaz in a country with a non-Muslim as its head, I am told that a country where a non-Muslim is the Head of the administration – as was in India, the Britishers were the head of the administration – according to the interpretations of Muslim rules, and I do not know much of them Muslims cannot say their Juma Namaz. As an instance, I cite a case and I think, the Honourable President also knows about it – in the District of Faridpur, Dudu Mea’s party. They do not say Juma Namaz. His grandson, Pir Badshah Mia, told me that "in a country where the head is a non-Muslim, there cannot be Juma Namaz." Therefore, the words "equal rights as enunciated by Islam" are – I do not use any other word – a camouflage. It is only a hoax to us, the non-Muslims. There cannot be equal rights as enunciated by Islam. If the State is formed without any mandate of the religion, anybody whether Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Buddhist who can get votes can become its head, as such there would be difficulty if a portion of a book – it is not my book, it is not a Congress book, it is a Jamat-I-Islam publication from Lahore and it was handed over to me. I read a few lines from this book – Page 20.

"The preceding statement makes it quite clear that Islam is not democracy; for democracy is the name given to that particular form of Government in which sovereignty ultimately rests with the people in which legislation depends both in its form and content on the force and direction of public opinion and laws are modified and altered, to correspond to changes in that opinion. If a particular legislation is desired by the mass of people steps have to be taken to place it on the Statute Book if the people dislike any law and demand its removal, it is forthwith expunged and ceases to have any validity. There is no such thing in Islam which, therefore, cannot be called democracy in this sense of the term".

My friend, the Honourable Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, the other day said ‘What is in the name’? I also say, what is in the name? Name may be given to mislead people but it will smell theocracy.

The Honourable Sardar Abdur Rab Khan Nishtar (West Punjab: Muslim): Do you know what treatment was meted out to this man by the Government? He is in jail.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya: That is a different matter. Further he goes on:

"A more apt name for it would be the Kingdom of God which is described in English as "theocracy".

I do not know much of your theocracy or Sunna. But he told me many things about Islam.

And then you will also find this:

"No law can be changed unless the injunction is to be found in God’s shariat. Laws are changed by the concensus of opinion amongst the Muslims."

So, if any law is to be changed, it is to be changed by the vote of the Muslims only. Where are we then? We are not Muslims. There are, I find, many safeguards in the Resolution. I do not attach much importance to them. Words are there but there is no law which will allow them to be put into practice. That is the limitation. If the non-Muslims cannot vote, then what is the good of our coming here for farming the constitution? Even if we have the right to vote for a legislation but if some non-Muslim wants to be the President of the State, he will not be able to do so. If we want to elect somebody who is a non-Muslim, he cannot be elected by us to be a member of the legislature. We may vote, but we can vote for Mr Nishtar only and not for Mr Chandra Chattopadhya, who is a non-Muslim. I know you can pass this Resolution because you are in the majority and I know the tyranny of the majority. But we cannot be a consenting party to it; we must oppose it in order to safeguard our interests and not to commit suicide by accepting this Resolution. If that is so, what is the position of non-Muslims in a Muslim State? They will play the part of the second fiddle – the drawers of water and hewers of wood. Can you expect any self-respecting man will accept that position and remain contented? If the present Resolution is adopted, the non-Muslims will be reduced to that condition excepting what they may get out of concession or pity from their superior neighbours. Is it equality of rights? Is it wrong if we say that the non-Muslims will be in the position of Plebeians? There may not be patricians and plebeians in the Muslim community, but the question is between the Muslims and non-Muslims.

That much about this Resolution. Now, Dr Qureshi has attributed fear complex to the non-Muslims and has found a new dictum of behaviour for the minority. He has given a warning to the non-Muslims and has asked them to discard fear and behave well. What does our conduct show? We are not afraid of anybody. We, the Congress people, were not afraid of any or any power. We are still living in Eastern Pakistan and we are not running away. We are telling our brothers not to leave Eastern Pakistan and not to give up one inch of land. The position in the Western Pakistan is different. There the non-Muslims have left. But we are determined to stay on. As for behaviour it depends upon the majority community by their behaviour to get the confidence of the minority people. The minority people cannot create by their conduct confidence in the majority. They majority people should behave in such a way that the minority people may not be afraid of them and may not suspect them.

Dr Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi : On a point of personal explanation, Sir, I never said or implied in my speech that my friends on the opposite side were suffering from the fear of the seen. Unfortunately, they have been suffering from the fear of the unknown and my point was that the Objectives Resolution does not embody any principle which might make them afraid. I know that my friends are very brave and they would certainly not run away and I also know .. …

Mr President : This much will do for your explanation.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya : It goes without saying that by introducing the religious question, the differences between the majority and the minority are being perpetuated, for how long, nobody knows. And, as apprehended by us, the difficulty of interpretation has already arisen. The accepted principle is that the majority, by their fair treatment, must create confidence in the minority. Whereas the Honourable Mover of the Resolution promises respect, in place of charity or sufferance for the minority community the Deputy Minister, Dr Qureshi, advises the minority to win the good-will of the majority by their behaviour. In the House of the Legislature also we find that, while the Prime Minister keeps perfectly to his dictum, others cannot brook that the Opposition should function in the spirit of opposition. The demand is that the Opposition should remain submissive. That is Dr Qureshi’s way of thinking. The minorities must be grateful for all the benevolence they get and must never complain for the malevolence that may also be dealt out to them. That is his solution of the minority problem.

Dr Ishtiaq Husain Qureshi : Sir, I again rise on a point of personal explanation. I never said that. My words are being twisted. What I said was this that the best guarantee of a minority’s rights is the good-will of the majority and those words cannot be twisted into the way my friend has been twisting them.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya : My esteemed friend, Mr Nishtar, speaks that there is difference of outlook between the two parties. It is true that before the division of India into two States, India and Pakistan, we opposed the division on the ground that the people of India consisted of one nation, and the Muslim League supported the division on two-nation theory, the Muslims and the non-Muslims. There was this fundamental difference in our outlook and in our angle of vision. India was divided without the division of the population. So, in both the States there are Muslims and non-Muslims – no exchange of population and even no exchange of population under contemplation. We, the non-Muslims of Pakistan, have decided to remain in Pakistan, as the loyal citizens of Pakistan. Of course, some non-Muslims from East Bengal and practically the majority of non-Muslim from West Pakistan left the place. We all ourselves the nationals of Pakistan and style ourselves as Pakistanis. But this Resolution cuts at the root of it and Mr Nishtar’s speech makes it clear. We, the Congress people, still stick to our one nation theory and we believe that the people of Pakistan, Muslims and non-Muslims, consist of one nation and they are all Pakistanis. Now, if it is said that the population of Pakistan consists of two nations, the Muslims who form the majority party and the non-Muslims who form the minority party, how are they to be described? Nowhere in the world nationality is divided on the score of religion.

Even in Muslim countries there are people of different religions. They do not call themselves a majority or minority party. They call themselves as members of one nation, though professing different religions. If the Muslims call themselves Pakistanis, will the non-Muslims call themselves non-Pakistanis. What will they call themselves?

Some Honourable Members : Pakistanis.

Mr Sris Chandra Chattopadhya : Will they both call themselves Pakistanis? Then how will the people know who is Muslim and who is non-Muslim? I say, give up this division of the people into Muslims and non-Muslims and let us call ourselves one nation. Let us call ourselves one people, people of Pakistan. Otherwise, if you call me non-Muslim and call yourselves Muslim the difficulty will be if I call myself Pakistani they will say you are a Muslim. That happened when I had been to Europe. I went there as a delegate of Pakistan. When I said "I am a delegate of Pakistan" they thought I was a Muslim. They said "But you are a Muslim". I said, "No, I am a Hindu". A Hindu cannot remain in Pakistan, that was their attitude. They said: "You cannot call yourself a Pakistani". Then I explained everything and told them that there are Hindus and as well as Muslims and that we are all Pakistanis. That is the position. Therefore, what am I to call myself? I want an answer to that. I want a decision on this point from my esteemed friend, Mr Liaquat Ali Khan.

I request my Honourable friend, Mr Nishtar, to forget this outlook, this angle of vision. Let us form ourselves as members of one nation. Let us eliminate the complexes of majority and minority. Let us treat citizens of Pakistan as members of one family and frame such a constitution as may not break this tie so that all communities may stand shoulder to shoulder on equal footing in time of need and danger. I do not consider myself as a member of the minority community. I consider myself as one of seven crores of Pakistanis. Let me have to retain that privilege.

I have stated about this Resolution. Now what will be the result of this Resolution? I sadly remind myself of the great words of the Quaid-I-Azam that in state affairs the Hindus will cease to be a Hindu; the Muslim shall cease to be a Muslim. But alas, so soon after his demise what you do is that you virtually declare a State religion! You are determined to create a Herrenvolk. It was perhaps bound to be so, when unlike the Quaid-I-Azam – with whom I was privileged to be associated for a great many years in the Indian National Congress – you felt your incapacity to separate politics from religion, which the modern world so universally does. You could not get over the old world way of thinking. What I hear in this Resolution not the voice of the great creator of Pakistan – the Quaid-I-Azam (may his soul rest in peace), nor even that of the Prime Minister of Pakistan, the Honourable Mr Liaquat Ali Khan but of the Ulemas of the land.

When I came back to my part of the country after several months absence in Europe, the thing that I saw there depressed me. A great change for the worse has come over the land. I noticed that change this side also. I told His Excellency Khawaja Nazimuddin of it. I told the Honourable Mr Liaquat Ali Khan about it and now that spirit of reaction has overwhelmed this House also. This Resolution in its present form epitomizes that spirit of reaction. That spirit will not remain confined to the precincts of this House. It will send its waves to the countryside as well. I am quite upset. I have been passing sleepless nights pondering what shall I now tell my people whom I have so long been advising to stick to the land of their birth? They are passing a state of uncertainty which is better seen and left than imagined from this House. The officers have opted out, the influential people have left, the economic conditions are appalling, starvation is widespread, women are going naked, people are sinking without trade, without occupation. The administration is ruthlessly reactionary, a steam-roller has been set in motion against the culture, language and script of the people. And on the top of this all, by this Resolution you condemn them to a perpetual state of inferiority. A thick curtain is drawn against all rays of hope, all prospects of an honourable life.

After this what advice shall I tender? What heart can I have to persuade the people to maintain a stout heart? But I feel it is useless bewailing before you, it is useless reasoning with you. You show yourselves incapable of humility that either victory or religion ought to generate. You then go your way, I have best wishes for you. I am an old man not very far from my eternal rest. I am capable of forgetting all injuries. I bear you no ill will. I wish you saw reason. Even as it is, may no evil come your way. May you prosper, may the newly-born State of Pakistan be great and get its proper place in the comity of nations. (Applause.)