UN passes resolution on drone strikes

The UN General Assembly has adopted a unanimous resolution that calls for countries to ensure that the use of drones complies with their obligations under international law.

According to the wording of the UN resolution, states are urged to “ensure that any measures taken or means employed to counter terrorism including the use of remotely piloted aircraft comply with their obligations under international law including the Charter of the United Nations human rights law and international humanitarian law in particular the principles of distinction and proportionality.”

The text also “calls for taking into account Relevant United Nations resolutions and decisions on human rights and encourages them to give due consideration to the recommendations of the special procedures and mechanisms of the Human Rights Council and to the relevant comments and views of United Nations human rights treaty bodies.”

The UN resolution comes after intensive efforts made by Pakistan, which has been witnessing a protest campaign against US assassination drone strikes for more than three weeks now.

Ruling parties in northwestern Pakistan have been holding demonstrations and blocking supply lines for US-led forces stationed in Afghanistan since November in protest against the deadly strikes.

“We will continue this sit-in until there is a good decision on the drones,” said Fayaz Ahmed Khalid, from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Party. “It’s for ourselves, for our country.”

The move has forced the US to consider flying the supplies instead of trucking them through Pakistan, which will cost five to seven times as much.

Despite the Pakistani government’s repeated calls on Washington to end the drone attacks, the US continues its strikes on the country’s tribal regions.

Washington claims its drone strikes target militants; however, casualty figures clearly indicate that Pakistani civilians are the main victims of the attacks.