Pakistan condemns US drone attack

Foreign Office reiterates Pakistan’s demand seeking immediate cessation of CIA-piloted campaign in the tribal areas

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday condemned a US drone strike in South Waziristan Agency that reportedly killed a senior figure of the Haqqani Network.

The attack which took place in Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan left at least 7 suspected militants dead including Abdullah Haqqani. Abdullah was believed to be responsible for sending suicide bombers to Afghanistan.

However, hours after the latest strike, foreign ministry spokesperson Tasnim Aslam reiterated Pakistan’s demand seeking the immediate cessation of CIA-piloted campaign in the tribal areas.

“Pakistan has consistently maintained that such strikes are a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The Government of Pakistan is itself taking decisive action against terrorist elements and therefore believes that such strikes are unnecessary and need to be stopped,” Aslam told reporters at her weekly briefing.

She further said Pakistan continued to raise the issue of drone strikes at all levels with the US.

“Naturally, the United States has its own position which is not backed by international law and the international public opinion,” she added.

The US has recently stepped up drone strikes in the tribal areas at a time when Pakistan military is undertaking a full-scale offensive against militants in North Wazirsitan Agency.

The surge in hell fire missiles is also seen as some kind of ‘tacit understanding’ between Pakistan and the US over the drone program. However, Islamabad always dismissed such a deal.

Pak-India tension

The spokesperson said Pakistan has summoned an acting Indian High Commissioner to the foreign office on Wednesday to condemn the civilian deaths in recent ceasefire violations by Indian forces along the Line of Control (LoC) and working boundary (WB).

“We also handed over protest note to Indian side in which we strongly condemned the incident and reminded them of their responsibility under bilateral understandings to protect civilians and their responsibility to maintain peace and tranquility on the Line of Control and the international border. We also recalled a number of pervious violations in which Pakistani civilians were killed,” Tasnim said.