ISLAMABAD - Pakistan lodged a strong protest with the US Ambassador over the drone attack at Angoor Adda on Wednesday.
Sources in the Foreign Office said that Foreign Secretary Salaman Bashir lodged the protest with Ambassador Cameron Munter, adding that Islamabad has taken up the matter with the US at all levels as drone attacks have become a core irritant in the counter-terror campaign.
“We have repeatedly said that such attacks are counter-productive and only contribute to strengthen the hands of the terrorists,” the sources added.
This was the second time that the Foreign Office has formally protested with the US against latest strikes by the drones in the Waziristan Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
The political and military leadership of the country strongly condemned the US drone hit first on March 17 when at least 39 innocent civilians attending a tribal peace congregation in Azakhel area of North Waziristan Agency. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani himself had severely reacted to that drone strike saying it was tantamount to breaching the fundamental human rights and that such attacks were unacceptable. Prime Minister Gilani also condemned that drone hit.
Consequently, the Foreign Office also summoned the US Ambassador and lodged strongest ever protest with the US.
However, the latest US drone strike came after the reported meeting of the CIA Director Leon Panetta and Director General Pakistan’s ISI Lt. General Shuja Pasha.
Staff Reporter from South Waziristan: At least eight people were killed Wednesday in two US drone strikes at Angoor Adda in South Waziristan Agency, days after the head of the country’s intelligence agency called for an end to the strikes that have caused deep anger.
Two unmanned planes fired at least four missiles at a house and two vehicles. The first drone attack was on a house and in the second attack a car and a motorcycle were targeted at Baghar village in Angoor Adda, around six km from the border with Afghanistan.
At least eight people have been killed in the two attacks, officials said, adding that the number of casualties is expected to rise. It was the first drone attack since March 17 in which 50 people attending a jirga meeting were killed in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan. Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders strongly protested over the attack. Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani issued a rare public statement in which he condemned the strike. Foreign office also summoned US Ambassador Cameron Munter in protest. Many civilians and militants have been killed in similar US drone attacks. Sources said those who killed in Wednesday’s drone strikes belonged to the Haqqani group run by Sirajuddin Haqqani. However, it is yet to be confirmed. The attack came just one day after a Washington meeting between Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the chief of Inter-Services Intelligence agency, and Leon Panetta, director of the CIA, which runs the drone war.
Sources in the Foreign Office said that Foreign Secretary Salaman Bashir lodged the protest with Ambassador Cameron Munter, adding that Islamabad has taken up the matter with the US at all levels as drone attacks have become a core irritant in the counter-terror campaign.
“We have repeatedly said that such attacks are counter-productive and only contribute to strengthen the hands of the terrorists,” the sources added.
This was the second time that the Foreign Office has formally protested with the US against latest strikes by the drones in the Waziristan Agency of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).
The political and military leadership of the country strongly condemned the US drone hit first on March 17 when at least 39 innocent civilians attending a tribal peace congregation in Azakhel area of North Waziristan Agency. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani himself had severely reacted to that drone strike saying it was tantamount to breaching the fundamental human rights and that such attacks were unacceptable. Prime Minister Gilani also condemned that drone hit.
Consequently, the Foreign Office also summoned the US Ambassador and lodged strongest ever protest with the US.
However, the latest US drone strike came after the reported meeting of the CIA Director Leon Panetta and Director General Pakistan’s ISI Lt. General Shuja Pasha.
Staff Reporter from South Waziristan: At least eight people were killed Wednesday in two US drone strikes at Angoor Adda in South Waziristan Agency, days after the head of the country’s intelligence agency called for an end to the strikes that have caused deep anger.
Two unmanned planes fired at least four missiles at a house and two vehicles. The first drone attack was on a house and in the second attack a car and a motorcycle were targeted at Baghar village in Angoor Adda, around six km from the border with Afghanistan.
At least eight people have been killed in the two attacks, officials said, adding that the number of casualties is expected to rise. It was the first drone attack since March 17 in which 50 people attending a jirga meeting were killed in Datta Khel area of North Waziristan. Pakistan’s civilian and military leaders strongly protested over the attack. Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani issued a rare public statement in which he condemned the strike. Foreign office also summoned US Ambassador Cameron Munter in protest. Many civilians and militants have been killed in similar US drone attacks. Sources said those who killed in Wednesday’s drone strikes belonged to the Haqqani group run by Sirajuddin Haqqani. However, it is yet to be confirmed. The attack came just one day after a Washington meeting between Lieutenant General Ahmad Shuja Pasha, the chief of Inter-Services Intelligence agency, and Leon Panetta, director of the CIA, which runs the drone war.
No comments:
Post a Comment