THE RAMIFICATIONS OF U.S. DRONE STRIKES ON PAKISTAN: AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA REGION

Abstract

The United States, in its pursuit to eliminate Al-Qaeda militants from the PakistanAfghanistan region, conducted drone strikes on Pakistani soil as part of the broader counterterrorism strategy initiated after the 9/11 attacks. Commencing on June 8, 2004, and concluding on January 24, 2018, these strikes primarily targeted the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), now integrated into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, totalling 430 confirmed instances. This research examines the social and economic repercussions of U.S. drone strikes on the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region, investigating the area's social and economic transformations. Moreover, the study probes into the psychological trauma endured by the northern region's inhabitants, assessing the impact of drone assaults on their mental wellbeing. Notably, the Pakistani government did not authorize U.S. drone operations on its territory. The United States justified these actions on self-defence grounds, bypassing official consent from the Pakistani government. Widely perceived as misguided by both the Pakistani government and its populace, these drone strikes resulted in pronounced social disruptions, economic instability, and psychological trauma in the FATA region.