Islamabad: The Obama administration seems willing to look at options that do not involve launching drones attacks in Pakistan to kill terror suspects, a senior Pakistani official source has said.
The official, while briefing reporters on ISI chief Lt-Gen Zaheerul Islam’s meetings in Washington, said the Pakistani delegation urged the Americans to stop the drone strikes at every opportunity they got.
The official said that Pakistan “raised the issue of US drone strikes at every meeting Gen Islam” held in Washington during the last two days, adding that “the Americans listened patiently.”
The Dawn quoted the official, as saying that the Americans are believed to have told the Pakistanis that while they could not stop the drone strikes right now, “they are considering ways forward that do not involve drones”.
According to the report, sources revealed that Pakistan also proposed a plan for jointly targeting militant hideouts in Fata, using Pakistani F-16s instead of the drones.
“This proposal was discussed at all levels and there were specific meetings on the drones as well,” the paper quoted a Pakistani official, as saying.
PTI