MANSEHRA: Jamaat-i-Islami, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has declared Hakeemullah Mehsud and his associates killed in the recent drone strike as martyrs and demanded of the federal government to end its strategic alliance with America.

“Those killed in the recent drone attack are martyrs as they were eliminated when they were in the process of dialogue for permanent peace in Pakistan. America is following its own agenda without paying heed to the national interests of our country and the drone strike to sabotage the dialogue between the government and Taliban is an eye opener for the so-called patriots,” said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa JI chief Prof Mohammad Ibrahim while speaking to media persons after attending the oath-taking ceremony of zonal and union heads of the party here on Sunday.

Prof Ibrahim said that as a coalition partner in the KP government his party would support whatever steps the government would take to restrict drone strikes in future.

He said that the JI had no vendetta with any western country and wanted relations with these countries on the basis of equality and mutual respect.

He said that the Pakistani rulers should come up with a clear program to challenge the hegemony of America in the region.

“Now people have started to realise that America is not sincere with Pakistan and it has been protecting its own interests in the region,” he said.

Earlier, the JI provincial amir administered oath to newly-elected zonal and union heads and asked them to work for the betterment of people and the country through their work.

He said that masses would support the JI for its pro-people policies. He added that politics should be for a noble cause and helping those in need.

District JI amir Younus Khattak and Tariq Sherazi also spoke on the occasion.