Treated as terrorists, civilian drone victim denied support

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DERA ISMAIL KHAN:  The last thing Malik Din remembered before he passed out was the mutilated bodies after the blast, followed by dust and smoke that covered everything.

“I gained consciousness after four days in the Miranshah District Hospital,” Malik Din told News Lens Pakistan, recalling the day when a US drone strike at a funeral prayer in South Waziristan killed 100 people.

Malik Din, 25, survived the June 24, 2009, drone strike that killed five children and 35 tribesmen, among others (said to be militants from Tehrik e Taliban Pakistan).  He had gone to village Chenakai in Ladha sub-division of South Waziristan to offer condolences at the death of local tribesman Khwaz Wali when the drone hit.

Malak Din, now lives as a displaced person in Dera Ismail Khan, a town bordering South Waziristan Agency (SWA). He is one of the 62,000 families that, according to the FATA Disaster Management Authority, were displaced by the Pakistani military operation in 2009. The unofficial figure given by the tribesmen is 80,000.

Before he was injured in the drone strike, Malik Din used to study at the Government High School in Razmak, a mountain resort in the neighbouring North Waziristan Agency. ”I was a student of class ten, studying science. I had secured 332 marks out of 525 in class 9th. The exam results had been announced just ten days before the drone strike.”

The drone strike shattered his arm, leg and hip on one side. He was left with a fractured chin and head injuries.

He said, “I was brought to Miranshah Hospital. After initial treatment I was referred to the Bannu District Hospital where I went through eight different surgeries.”

It took Malik Din three years to recover. In 2012, he decided to seek employment in the Gulf countries like most tribesmen, where they go to work as drivers, labour and machine operators in industries.

When the results of the blood test, mandatory for all workers going to the Gulf countries, came in, he was shocked.

“The doctor said I was infected with HIV/AIDS”, Din told News Lens. “Since that day I have lost all hope. I am like a dead man.”

He says he contracted HIV/AIDS when he received contaminated blood for drone injuries. The hospital at Miranshah is a small facility with not enough resources. To respond to the emergency, the doctor sought blood from those accompanying the injured. That is when he must have contracted the virus, he says.

Din is married and has a daughter, two-year-old Zainab. After they found out that Malik Din was infected with the virus, the family tested his daughter and wife.

“Luckily both are sound and have no infection of HIV-AIDS”, said Ahmed Din, father of Malik Din.

According to the London-based Bureau of Investigative Journalism that has documented cases of drone strikes since 2004, the estimated total of people killed is between 2,396 and 3,882, including 416 to 959 civilians killed. They estimate that the number of children killed is between 168 to 204.

However, the number of drone strikes has been reduced by about half in the years since 2012, according to Bureau estimates. The number of civilian casualties has also dropped from dozens per year to five or less, their numbers show.

A London and New York based human rights organization, Reprieve, said in an analysis released on 25 Nov that “in Pakistan, 24 men were reportedly killed or targeted multiple times; missed strikes on these men killed 847 people including 142 children”.

The U.S. government defends the strikes as a precise way to take out terrorists, and administration officials have said that the decision for each attack is subjected to rigorous standards. The program has been successful in eliminating key Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, with minimal civilian casualties, the Obama administration says.

19 COMMENTS

  1. Basically i saw first time this story, a very nice approach in achieving the main goals in improving the quality of life of those victimized people in waziristan because of violence and conflict around the world. This is the real way of Journalism, and showing the positive approach towards their job. And we are expecting the same in future in highlighting the reality of society.

  2. I hv jst read this grief story with tears in my eyes. It’s not only a story of one Malik Din but I think it’s a story of all displaced Waziristani. Don’t know that who is the responsible for Dinz condition, The hospital, the drone or our Government? After read the report how innocent or unknown people were getting killed by the US drone strikes in Waziristan make a man turned to b militant at once. Some time I wonder tht who’s fight is ths in real? Why only Pakhtoonz are targeted? Anyways may Allah protect us at all.

  3. Farooq Masud..
    yes. it is true and insurgency is destroy every thing in pakhtoon region especially .
    and this is true our culture collapse completely.
    nice story Farooq

  4. First of all great effort by one of the loyal and committed son of the motherland Farooq Mehsood.It is well captured and illustrated.
    KPK is mode of turmoil and war for the last 30 years.The whole belt from North to south(Northern areas(Chitral) -Southern part(D.I.Khan) are in the same status.
    Farooq, I have still doubted in the figures you have mentioned in the last part, the effected persons are still at high raise.If it is the right figure, then what about those of millions who are facing the psychological effects on a daily basis while in travelling, crossing the checkpoints, during unnecessary raids etc.

  5. The most pathetic reality that i have ever heard,many more and many more heart wrenching and painful stories are not revealed to the world,if the world know it,a storm of people will throw away all these evil that are using innocent and simple Pashtuns for achieving their aims and targets,unfortunately Pashtuns are very vulnerable for achieving any type of objectives,i pray for all Pashtuns and request them all to come out,be unite and expel all those out who are using them for their own objectives,this is not our war,this war is fought among NATO’ members, USA and Russia,but unfortunately these so-called powers are using Pashtuns for their targets.These hypocritic world agencies called them Talibans and Terrorists,these names depend on their core targets and objectives.USA,which is the main breeding center of this game,first of all called them Mujahideens,then it became Talibans and now they are terrorists.

  6. the real story of atrocities by aur own forces as well as us dtone.the breach violation of basic funfamental human rights.great keep it up.

  7. Great and very sad story brought tears in my eyes . this story reflects the views of not only a single person but the views of whole community of WAZIRISTAN which is effected by the 99.9 % misuse of Drones.
    Very good job and keep it up .
    Wish u good luck and all the best………

  8. Dear and respected writer,
    we the people of FATA are really proud of you, such efforts will inform the world about the real situation in our our war-hit area,

    • DEAR Brother Gharwal,i am DR.Adnan Azil Khokhar…….do you remember me ……..my cell no is 0300718 3550….i am in Multan now as you may know…….please make contact with me ….i Love tp speak to you…..May God Almighty Bless you and your Tribe…….Aamen.

  9. Dear friend ! We can do somerhing to accomodate such people.No need to ask others to help.But you see ,how can we stop such cruel incidents.

  10. Dear Ghaarwal….I pray to God Almighty to protect you , your family and your people in these situation ie disaster of war……..Aamen…

  11. Dear Gharwal ! If Din Mohd is present near by, please send him to me,i will acccomodare him.

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