With the Obama Administration escalating drone strikes against Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas, a massive protest was held today in the capital city of Islamabad condemning the strikes and demanding that the Zardari government do something to stop them.

The protesters included a large number of tribesmen from North Waziristan, the site of the vast majority of the recent US strikes. Several of them reported participating in a tribal jirga relating to the US attacks.

The jirga issued a resolution condemning the large numbers of innocent civilians killed in the bombing campaign, and also said they believed the attacks violated both Pakistani and international law.

Among those in attendance at the rally was key opposition figure Imran Khan, the head of Tehreek-e Insaf. Khan urged the Pakistani government to work with tribal elders to restore peace in the tribal areas and to downgrade ties with the US if the attacks did not end.

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