Pakistan

Drone strike on Pakistani soil detrimental to relations with US: Army chief

General Raheel Sharif expresses 'serious concern' over US drone strike in Balochistan

Kamran Yousaf May 25, 2016

The statement said the situation arising after US drone strike in Balochistan on 22 May 2016 came under discussion. PHOTO: AFP

Army chief General Raheel Sharif on Wednesday warned the recent US drone strike targeting late Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was detrimental to bilateral relations between the two countries.

The army chief's reaction came during a meeting with the Ambassador of US David Hale at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, a statement issued by Inter Services Public relations (ISPR) said.

Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Mansour killed in US drone strike in Pakistan

The statement said the situation arising after the US drone strike in Balochistan on May 22 came under discussion.

While expressing serious concerns over the drone strike, COAS said such acts of sovereignty violations are detrimental to relations between both countries and are counter-productive for ongoing peace process for regional stability.

"Pakistan’s efforts, successes and sacrifices in fight against terrorism have been unparalleled," General Raheel added.

US forces will continue to go after threats on Pakistani soil: Obama

President Barack Obama on Monday confirmed Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in a US air strike, hailing his death as an “important milestone” in efforts to bring peace to Afghanistan.

Saturday’s bombing raid, the first known American assault on a top Afghan Taliban leader on Pakistani soil, marked a major blow to the militant movement, which saw a new resurgence under Mansour.

Soon after Obama's statement, Pakistan summoned the US ambassador to express concern over the drone strike inside its territory, which reportedly killed Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor.

Pakistan summons US envoy over drone strike inside territory

Ambassador David Hale was called in by the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi wherein the latter pointed out that the drone strike was a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty, according to a Foreign Office statement.

The attack is also a breach of the United Nation’s Charter that guarantees the inviolability of the territorial integrity of its member states, he added.

Fatemi emphasised such actions could adversely impact the ongoing efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) for facilitating peace talks between the Afghan government and Taliban.

COMMENTS (39)

Np | 8 years ago | Reply @Neutral: general Bajwa lost no time in tweeting when he thought he had downed an Indian drone taking pictures in July 2015. Of course it later turned out that the drone was a Chinese drone.

Aleem | 8 years ago | Reply @Farru: He is the Army Chief, not the head of NADRA to be answering questions about CNIC and passport!

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vasan | 8 years ago | Reply While the rest of the world says "Terror sponcership from Pakistani soil are detrimental to relations with the rest of the world

Zahid | 8 years ago | Reply Thank you General Raheel Sharif, plz teach the American in your army styal our political system PM Nawaz Sharif sleeping Stop sharing all with USA

numbersnumbers | 8 years ago | Reply It would be helpful for ET to write an editorial explaining just HOW UNSCR 1373 (viewable on UNSCR.org!) effects the global war on terror! The section dealing with sovereign states is most interesting, since it explains WHY Pakistan has NEVER approached the UN over drone strikes inside Pakistan!

Ashfaq | 8 years ago | Reply And sir you continue to host world's most wanted terrorists and bring shame to country is ok?

Usama Zafar | 8 years ago | Reply @HSK: How about taking down the drone instead of just whining about it in vague statements like little kiddos? I mean who are they even kidding??

Sandip | 8 years ago | Reply @someone: How ungrateful can you guys get? Don't you know they were busy imparting fitness training to your Cricket team? After all, that's the team that has any hope of beating India. And you should know that their sole enemy is India. So when it comes to anything where it's India vs ..., it's always India that takes precedence.

KANISHKA | 8 years ago | Reply He waited until the USA Senate approved $800 million grant (known as CSF) for the Pakistan armed forces yesterday for this year. The Senate added $80.00 million to the amount passed by House of Representatives last week. So his silence earned another $80.00 million for the funds to purchase F16.

Sad but True | 8 years ago | Reply @someone: 'what PAF was doing? All the new JF's were going through maintenance as all the parts are made in .... .

Babbarsher Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Finally the Man spoke! We need to export our model "Islamic Democracy" to other part of the world. We should not deny other unfortunate nations also enjoy the taste of our kind of democracy, where a career soldier without any accountability (at least directly to the electorates) speaks on any issues, while mandated leaders simply vanish from the scene.

quatro | 8 years ago | Reply Keeping a straight face and not breaking out in laughter is one of the requirements for getting posted as USA Ambassador to Pakistan. Can you image how many times these Ambassadors have to listen to the same old sovereignty speech?

Rex Minor | 8 years ago | Reply @PashtunZalmai: You must have a strange sense of humour, Sir! Rex Minor

Rex Minor | 8 years ago | Reply Detrimental? And this is the man the people of Pakistan appointed as their commander to protect them and their land? There they have it straight. The question comes to mind what are they going to do about so many Sharifs? Rex Minor

Sandip | 8 years ago | Reply @HSK: Really? In that case please be informed that we too love you very much. So much so that we don't believe in taking anything from you, rather giving to you. So no matter how many missiles you give to us, we will ensure that those missiles end up inside Pakistan only - with some additional ones from India, as interest.

someone | 8 years ago | Reply At this juncture, people of Pakistan should be asking whether US informed Pakistan before the drone strike? If yes, then why all this cry and if NOT, then what the heck PAF was doing? Why no jets were scrambled to take drone out ? It seems PAF is caught napping again just like Abbottabad.

vinsin | 8 years ago | Reply @B.N.Gururaj: Pakistan doesnt have delivery system of Nuclear weapons which can reach USA. Also Nuclear weapons are India specific.

Aseem | 8 years ago | Reply You are right Mr Sharif; no one disagrees with that. Not even America.

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply What is the proof that he has said the same to Americans? Double game is history, it has more dimensions than two now. We are not sincere to anyone, not even to ourselves. Three FC soldiers have been killed by terrorists today but nobody is worried. Not even COAS, ISPR, Taliban Khan, Taliban Chaudhry, nobody.

abc | 8 years ago | Reply Anyone is having any idea about our PAF JF17 and burraq capacity to reach out to militants hiding in Afghanistan and take them out.

whatever | 8 years ago | Reply thank you Raheel Shareif. every drone attack must be replied with face with 'serious concern'. more they attack more you show your serious concern. at next drone attack show your concern on national tv, if still they attack, show your next serious concern in international magazines. one day they will take your serious concern seriously.

Aaron Uright | 8 years ago | Reply The Soviets used to try this trick during their adventure in Afghanistan. The PAF shot down several aircrafts, ie aircraft with pilots. Pilots who were killed and often captured, once a future Russian VP. Not drones. For all his many faults, Zia made it clear that attackers would be dealt with. We need someone with that gumption now.

Arshad | 8 years ago | Reply Hats off to Gen. Raheel Shareef for his candid statement. The time has come when we should call spade a spade. Throughout America & western allies are trying to subjugate Muslim world and Pakistan as the sole nuclear power is their target. God forbid if they succeed in their nefarious design the Muslim wold will disintegrate. It high time that this basic points sinks in our leadership psyche and they come together ignoring their petty differences and interest.

Malik Saab | 8 years ago | Reply So Americans are killing their targets is against our sovereignty?. But when Afghan leaders do their activities on our soil then it is not against our sovereignty?. Why no investigation is being carried out that how Taliban leaders were using our Airports and getting free Pakistani passports?. If Americans are violating our sovereignty then so do Afghan Taliban. Where are the claims to go after every terrorist in Pakistan?. Who is protecting such elements in our country?.

Kushal | 8 years ago | Reply Guess what the Americans are saying now? . . . . "Thank you Raheel Shariff."

Rana Saad | 8 years ago | Reply I worry for my country which has leadership which weighs its relationship with the Taliban of Afghanistan more than a key super power which happens to be our biggest donor and arms supplier.

Shahid | 8 years ago | Reply @Farru: Valid remark

vaidyanathan | 8 years ago | Reply Dear COAS, Have you not informed that Pakistan is a nuclear power. Inform them and make them to realise what the Nuclear pakistan can do. Moreover the ally of all powerdul China.

PashtunZalmai | 8 years ago | Reply The QCG is is already closed by Afghanistan & relation with US is close to breaking point. It will not be the last drone strike either unless otherwise we cancel all NIC & Passports of Taliban. Then the option is to shoot down Drones. Could our Army Chief order it, I think he should but would he?

HSK | 8 years ago | Reply PK will never use India's share of PK nukes elsewhere. Immediate neighbors have more importance and priority. Be assured, being a good neighbor; PK will keep them armed, safe, dedicated and aside for India.

Farru | 8 years ago | Reply With all due respect, our Army chief should first clarify what Mansoor was doing in Pakistan? How could he get a Pakistani CNIC and a passport when he was an Afghan national? We ourselves give space to the US (more resourceful to Pakistan) because we first interfere in a weaker Afghanistan. If might is right is the rule here in this game, how can we blame the US?

roadkashehzada | 8 years ago | Reply in villages of punjab if someone has to dig the road, they do it on friday evening or saturday monring because they know government officials are not on duty for next two days. national security is just too serious to have weekend breaks. this is a good fire fighting exercise to keep "thank you raheel sharif" brigade happy

Adnan Siddiqui | 8 years ago | Reply Looks like the entire Pak leadership was out on summer vacation.

B.N.Gururaj | 8 years ago | Reply Very often, as in 1999 Kargin misadventure, Pakistan warns India that it has nuclear weapons. Why not flex the nuclear muscles against the USA, when Pakistan's territory has been violated by the USA?

HSK | 8 years ago | Reply @Blackwater: Since you're done in passing your opinion now please suggest otherwise? What you would have done, if and only if you were PK COAS? Lets hear you out now?

Neutral | 8 years ago | Reply It's common sense. Army is not news channel that run breaking news before the actual news has happened. They examine everything before going ahead.

Acorn Guts | 8 years ago | Reply Can't subdue a bunch of extremist outfits within the country and here we are trying to stare down a super power.

NITS | 8 years ago | Reply It takes the army four long days, after drone attack on pak soil, to issue such a simple and vague statement, with no specific actions.

Blackwater | 8 years ago | Reply So finally after the long weekend silence (break), the Army has woken up and issued a trash statement, which is of no relevance to any party.

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