News
Friday, October 25, 2013
Former PM, officials deny drone collusionISLAMABAD: Officials and former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani Thursday denied a report that they had approved US drone strikes on the country’s soil. Gilani, prime minister from 2008 until June last year, vehemently denied giving any approval for drone strikes. “We have never allowed Americans to carry out drone attacks in the tribal areas,” Gilani told AFP. “From the very beginning we are against drone strikes and we have conveyed it to Americans at all forums.” A diplomatic cable from then-US ambassador Anne Patterson, dated August 2008 and released by Wikileaks, indicated Gilani had agreed to the strikes in private. “I don’t care if they do it as long as they get the right people. We’ll protest in the National Assembly and then ignore it,” the leaked cable quoted him as telling US officials. In April this year US-backed former military dictator Pervez Musharraf told CNN that he had authorised drone strikes in Pakistan while he was in power. afp
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk