By NNN-PTI,
London : The controversial raids against Taliban and al-Qaeda militants on the Pakistani soil by the “trigger-happy” US-led forces in Afghanistan could spark terror attacks in the British capital, Islamabad’s envoy here has warned.
Pakistan’s High commissioner Wajid Shamsul Hasan claimed yesterday that the US bombings had killed “hundreds of civilians” but had failed to target any al-Qaeda leader.
Hasan’s outspoken remarks followed outrage in Pakistan over five attacks in the past ten days, including a ground assault in a village in the tribal belt bordering Afghanistan in which 20 people were killed. Pakistan insists that those killed were civilians, including women and children.
“This will infuriate Muslims in this country and make the streets of London less safe,” Hasan was quoted as saying by ‘The Times’. “There are 1 million Pakistanis in the diaspora here and resentment is mounting. I’m being flooded by text messages from community leaders saying we must organise our anger.”
“The Americans’ trigger-happy actions will radicalise young Muslims. They’re playing into the hands of the very militants we’re supposed to be fighting,” he was quoted as saying.
Hasan indicated that Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari will take up the issue with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Foreign Secretary David Miliband during his visit here from today and urge them to exert their influence with Washington to halt the unauthorised bombings.
“We hope they will help convince the Americans to stop it, to give space to our fledgling democracy and revive our economy,” Hasan was quoted as saying by the paper. “Otherwise the army will take over. Is that what they want?”