Pakistan condemns drone attack in North Waziristan

Pakistan strongly condemned the US drone attack in North Waziristan tribal region which killed four people a day ago, while urging Washington to "stop such attacks based on mutual respect and established international norms".

Islamabad: Pakistan Monday strongly condemned the US drone attack in North Waziristan tribal region which killed four people a day ago, while urging Washington to "stop such attacks based on mutual respect and established international norms". A US spy aircraft fired missiles on a house in Datta Khel town, bordering Afghanistan. "Such unilateral attacks are in contravention of international law and counterproductive to the stability of this country," Xinhua quoted Pakistan foreign ministry as saying.

"The government of Pakistan has maintained its position that drone strikes are violative of its territorial integrity and sovereignty," it said, adding that such attacks also set dangerous precedents in the inter-state relations. "The government of Pakistan calls upon the US government to stop such attacks based on mutual respect and established international norms," the ministry said. The statement comes days after former president Pervez Musharraf reportedly admitted having had secretly granted permission to the US on a "few occasions" to carry out drone strikes inside Pakistan. The government clarified no approval had ever been given to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to operate drones. IANS