UNITED NATIONS: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has asked the United States and Israel to clarify the legal basis for using drones against Pakistan‚ Yemen‚ and Gaza.
Pillay was participating in the debate about the protection of civilians in armed conflicts at the UN Security Council.
Without naming the United States and Israel‚ she asserted that drone strikes violate human rights.
The top official of the UN human rights said the current lack of transparency surrounding the use of drones created an “accountability vacuum” and affected the ability of victims to seek justice.
Pillay said she is seriously concerned about human rights of civilians hit by drone strikes carried out in the context of counter-terrorism.
Earlier speaking in the UN Security Council‚ Pakistan’s ambassador to the UN Masood Khan called for stopping drones strikes describing them against the international law.
Khan said Islamabad supports the Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s stand that the drone strikes must be operated within international law.
Meanwhile‚ in a statement after his return to New York from a visit to Pakistan‚ the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has assured full support of the world body to Pakistan in meeting its challenges.
Ban Ki-moon said the close bonds between Pakistan and the UN are growing even stronger.
