ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday summoned a senior US diplomat to lodge a formal protest over Sunday’s drone attack inside the tribal belt, igniting fresh tensions between the two countries.
“US Political Councilor, Jonathan Pratt was summoned at the Foreign office by Director General America over yesterday’s drone attack,” according to an official statement issued here.
A similar protest was also lodged in Washington to convey Islamabad’s displeasure over the unilateral strikes.
The remotely piloted aircraft targeted an abandoned girls’ high school building used by militants in Miranshah, the main town in North Waziristan on Sunday, officials and witnesses said. The strike reportedly killed four militants and injured three others.
The Predator attack was the first since the Parliament approved new terms of engagements that seek an immediate halt in the CIA-piloted campaign.
During recent high-level talks, Pakistan had categorically told the US that drones are totally unacceptable.
At a joint news conference with US Special Envoy Marc Grossman last week, Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani reiterated Pakistan’s strong opposition to the CIA-piloted drone campaign in the tribal areas.
"We consider drones as illegal, non-productive and accordingly unacceptable," he emphasised.
Separately, President Asif Zardari told the visiting top American diplomat that the two sides should consider setting up a framework of mechanism to find mutually acceptable alternatives to drone strikes in Pakistan.
The Obama administration considers drone campaign crucial to eliminate ‘high value’ targets associated with al-Qaeda and the Taliban from the tribal areas.
But the US policy has now turned out to be one of the major sticking point hindering cooperation between the two countries.
Recently, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar acknowledged that despite Pakistan’s repeated demands, the US was not listening to Pakistan’s demands to stop the drone attacks.
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@j. von hettlingen: Perhaps one can sympathize with Pakistan's plight in removing insurgents of different kinds. America which has a military might greater then the rest of the world put together, and has incredible amounts of sophisticated electronic spyware detection equipment went into the South Asian region obstensibly to bring Osama bin Laden to book. In spite of their best efforts it took them ten years to carry out the task, and even then there is some doubt, because they have not produced any credible evidence. If we use the American example of ten years and presuming there are 500 insurgents in Pakistan it will take 5,000 years to kill them all.
These drone attacks are - per se - illegal, yet there are two sides of the story. Pakistan accuses the U.S. of violation of its territorial sovreignty. The U.S. insists it has no choice as it has been urging Pakistan repeatedly to get rid of the Haqqani insurgents in North Waziristn, who stage attacks on the ISAF in Afghanistan.
@Cautious: Dear Cautious, You are half right about Iran and the development of its technology. However, Iran is a highly technological nation and when the U.S. sends a drone over, Iranians take over its control and land the drone. That way they get Americas stealth technology for free and give it to China and Russia for free, although I am sure there is some quid pro quo involved. Also, if Iran does not give the technology away Israel will sell it for Shekels. Further, since Iran did not respond to President Obama's plea that they return the downed drone spy planes America has stopped sending them over Iran. Something else to keep in mind is that anybody who thinks Anglo Saxon races are the only ones capable of developing advanced technology should think again. That is why the Zionist/U.S./NATO combo are so worried about Iran and are introducing stringent sanctions against Iran. The Muslims, fortunately, are not as stupid as the Westerners like to think, and if the West keep on confronting Pakistan they will get a shock. The West needs Pakistan more than Pakistan needs the West, and Pakistan is making it quite clear to the West.
@kashi
Seems to me they have exactly the same policy -- lots of tough rhetoric and wait until there is a malfunction and they fall out of the sky so you can steal/sell the technology.
Despicable and unethical drone attacks by the United States on the villages and towns of Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan should stop immediately.Pakistan should not tolerate it any longer as innocent civilians are being killed through indiscriminate rocket attacks.Americans have already lost the war in Afghanistan.The drone attacks on Pakistani villages are face saving measures to keep Obama's chances of returning to the White House afloat by claiming credit for the killing of civilians and destruction of the villages
Why does not Pak govt lodge protest against itself that it allowed a girls' school to be abandoned and used by terrorists or their alike?? What were local leadership doing then?? You can treat any problem as internal problem but when that problem starts affects anyone else, directly or otherwise, it cant remain a local internal problem anymore....Alright, if you are really so right, go and hit one drone and see what you will get in return. You can only make a start, end will be gifted by other side. Fortunately, Pak army and govt know it too well.
Can some body explain me that what these Uzbak and Tajik were doing in Miramshah girls school and aren't these same people who's likes were involve in Mehran Base attack. If our Army can't reach them then was it wrong that drone caught up with them?
@ather: "pakistani army and govt must stop drone attacks. these attacks are making the loyal citizens of fata against the state of pakistan. this is the gameplan of americans all along. they want to separate fata and kpk from pakistan."
As if Pakistan has any control over these areas!
Why does not Pakistan just shoots the drones down?
Does Pakistan have a choice?. Go after the snakes, it bred, in the tribal region or grin and accept the drones. Both are difficult options. The first one will end up in a disaster and deals with the snakes like in the past. The second option will help the establishment and politicians to make noise and show the poor pakistanis that they are protesting, but to no avail. In any case, the moral of the story is that the snakes will not allowed to live or breed by the rest of the world, whether Pakistan likes it or not. Better to lump it.
Pakistan could buy drone technology from the Chinese but the instruction manuals are in Chinese and they use sesame oil for fuel.
What protest, PM has said on record that they will protest in the NA and he would just ignore it. WOW, he has seen the light now because he and his boss knows that they are going to be trounced in the next elections and will be accountable for all the corruption,mismanagement and allowing Pakistani citizens to be killed by American drones. If they are serious about these drone attacks then for God sake shoot some of them, Iranians did, there is no international law to stop you from doing it but this wailing is all a big show and PPP's stalwarts are good at it. Hypocrisy and deceit is the hallmark of Zardari,Gilalni and lets not forget General Kiyani.He is also in cahoots with the Americans, it is on record.
@its (still) the economy stupid: The U.N. is just another world bodies such as Bilderberg or World Bank, all controlled by U.S. Zionists. Going to the U.N. would be a waste of time. However, going directly to the U.S. is the way to go. They cannot say they did not know, and it does place some pressure on Washington. Of course, America is very obtuse and does not seem to readily appreciate finer points, but we have to start somewhere.
This is akin to asking for an apology when slapped and then getting slapped back again.
I am sure the protest will be noted by the US.
@Truthteller: Wish your thoughts come true. How nice it would be if it is Aiman Zawahiri. Earlier news said that the abandoned school was occupied by Arabs.
Pakistan is caught in a trap of its own making . Will it escalate ro back down ? Any escalation , will put the state in greater jeopardy. Backing down will only result in being exposed and loss of face. The later option seems better to me.
Both military and Goverment are purposely giving conflicting statements to leave door open for an agreement. The nation is sick of this drama.Take action or shut up and accept you have failed to defend your own territory.
Drones attacks are in best interest of Pakistan.They are killing the enemies of Pakistan whom we can't get any way else . Pl.stop protesting
@ Skin taj "Simple Solution to this problem…Drone control should be given to Pakistan authorities to operate themselves …Cause it’s a fact we have to kill the terrorists in our Border areas and we need to get rid of them. !!!!"
Yeah US will give you technology ...so you can start using it for sending you strategic assets to your East...dream on!!
pakistani army and govt must stop drone attacks. these attacks are making the loyal citizens of fata against the state of pakistan. this is the gameplan of americans all along. they want to separate fata and kpk from pakistan.
Well done Iran for over rideing the system of the super secret stealth drone and landing it in its own territory, what did the coward US do? Nothing....that's the way we should also do. Then the nation will. know if the rulers are serious. Good luck !
The correct place for such a complain is UN. Why not go to UN security Council? Hum I forgot, It is for local consumption.
:Summary of the Complaint:Director General America: Mr Councillor, ask your government to plz stop drone strikes US Political Councillor: Thanks for the tea Mr Director Director General America: do it plz,,,,, look i am protesting US Political Councillor: hey dooode....what about the millions of dollars we are giving to your "democratic government" in aid
Director General America: :P
Moral of the Story: Self-Reliance, Self-Respect and Unity will take the nations at the top of other nations
Iran have better foreign policy for drones than Pakistan.
@skin taj Lol you need drone technology..dream on
@Roflcopter: "pure acting….if they’re serious they should have shot down the drone by now."
I do not always agree with you but in this case I do. The executive and the army are just misleading the country on drones.
Unless Pakistan puts an end to this terror from the sky,all its complaints have no credibility.
@Skin taj: "Simple Solution to this problem…Drone control should be given to Pakistan authorities to operate themselves " This does not solve the US problem since Pakistan will not use drones against Haqqanis and Afghan Taliban who are attacking NATO and whom the US are targeting.
Yes Pakistan wants drone technology so it can use against India, but unlikely to get anytime soon because everyone knows Pakistan will not use it against its own assets.
@Skin taj: Are you saying that Pakistani forces would not take any action against the terrorists unless they are given more equipment including the control of Drones? What has been stopping Pak forces to control terrorists now, they don't have drones? Regards, Mirza
pure acting....if they're serious they should have shot down the drone by now.
FO complains when a drone kills the terrorist. Not a single word of solace when the kidnapped Red Cross worker on a humanitarian mission is beheaded.
Simple Solution to this problem...Drone control should be given to Pakistan authorities to operate themselves ...Cause it's a fact we have to kill the terrorists in our Border areas and we need to get rid of them. !!!!
These drones took off from Shamsi airbase for 10 years and attacked FATA, while the FO kept on verbally protesting and lodging complaints. FO is not as clever as they think.
STOP FOOLING THE NATION................ Who cares about these formal complains??
Sniffle sniffle whine whine
Sm1 important must have died