Unchanged policy: No tacit approval for drone strikes, says FO

Spokeswoman says US actions will have a negative impact on Islamabad’s efforts.

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Thursday rejected reports that the United States carried out drone strikes in North Waziristan on June 11 and June 12 at its behest.

Citing two top government officials, Reuters news agency claimed that Islamabad had given the Americans “express approval” for the strikes. The officials told Reuters a “joint Pakistan-US operation” had been ordered to hit the insurgents. Another official said Pakistan had asked the United States for help after the attack on the country’s busiest airport on Sunday, and would be intensifying air strikes on militant hideouts in coming days.

But Foreign Office spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam rejected the suggestion outright on Thursday as she strongly condemned the resumption of drone strikes in the country’s tribal areas. She also reiterated Islamabad’s stance that the CIA-led programme is a violation of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Initially, Aslam refused to confirm the latest drone strikes in North Waziristan Agency (NWA) at her weekly news briefing.

However, two hours later, she issued a statement confirming the missile strikes that killed at least 16 suspected militants.

“The government ...condemns the two incidents of US drone strikes that took place near Miramshah in North Waziristan on June 11 and 12,” she said.

“These strikes are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Additionally, these strikes have a negative impact on the government’s efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region,” she added.



The latest attacks were the first since December last year, breaking six-month-old lull in the drone strikes.

The development came at a time when government efforts to strike a peace deal with Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its affiliates are all but over due to the recent surge in terrorist attacks.

The Obama administration is believed to have halted drone strikes at the request of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a bid to allow his government to negotiate a peace deal with militants.

‘Foreign hand’ in Karachi attack

Regarding the recent attack on the Karachi Airport, Aslam said investigations are under way to find out the involvement of a ‘foreign hand’ in the recent attack at the Karachi Airport.

“Investigations are under way and we are not in the habit of making allegations without proper investigations,” she said responding to reports that weapons used by terrorists were Indian-made.

Afghan elections

The spokesperson also said Pakistani authorities were taking additional measures for the second round of presidential elections in Afghanistan.

“The measures include enhanced vigilance and security along the border, enhanced patrolling in close border and border crossing areas, enhanced checking by immigration staff, enhanced communication through existing coordination and cooperation mechanism, and availability of hotline contact with Afghan counterparts,” she explained.

The spokesperson described the election as a milestone in the democratic journey of the Afghan people. “We congratulate the government and people of Afghanistan on this achievement.”


Published in The Express Tribune, June 13^th, 2014.