News
Friday, August 24, 2012
US diplomat summoned over NWA drone strikesStaff Report
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday summoned a senior US diplomat to lodge a protest against recent drone strikes in North Waziristan Agency.
A Foreign Office statement read, "The US Embassy was today demarched on recent drone strikes in North Waziristan. A senior US diplomat was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informed that the drone strikes were unlawful, against international law and a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty."
Four drone strikes were carried out during Eid holidays in the area. Seeking anonymity, a local official had told Daily Times that the missiles were fired when people were gathering for Eid celebrations on August 17.
Attacks by unmanned American aircraft are deeply unpopular in Pakistan, which says they violate its sovereignty and fan anti-US sentiment, but US officials are said to believe they are too important a weapon to give up.
The al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan is one of the thorniest issues between Islamabad and Washington.
Washington has long demanded that Pakistan take action against the Haqqanis, whom the United States accused of attacking the US Embassy in Kabul last September and acting like the “veritable arm” of Pakistani intelligence.
Pakistan has in turn demanded that Afghan and US forces do more to stop Pakistani Taliban crossing the border from Afghanistan to launch attacks on its forces.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk