Pakistan condemns Friday's drone strike

Foreign Ministry issues standard condemnation statement on drone strike.

ISLAMABAD: With unconfirmed reports that a drone strike in Dandey Darpakhel in Miranshah area of North Waziristan targeting a compound in the use of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan chief Hakeemullah Mehsud, the government of Pakistan condemns the strike.

According to a statement released from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday evening, it repeated its stance that drone strikes are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and that there is an across the board consensus in Pakistan that these drone strikes must end.

The statement added that the Pakistan government has consistently maintained that drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights and humanitarian implications.

“Such strikes also set dangerous precedents in the inter-state relations.”

The statement added that drone strikes have a negative impact on the mutual desire of both countries to forge a cordial and cooperative relationship and to ensure peace and stability in the region.

According to initial reports of the strike on Friday, the second in two days, killed at least five people as the drone fired two missiles on a compound in Dandey Darpakhel.

Earlier on Thursday, a strike targeted another compound and car in the Miranshah Bazaar and killed at least three people.