ID :
312173
Sat, 12/28/2013 - 08:23
Auther :

Pakistan Condemns US Drone Strike In N.Waziristan

Islamabad, Dec 27, IRNA -- Pakistan has condemned the latest American drone strike in North Waziristan tribal region and said these strikes have a negative impact on the Government’s efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region. A US drone fired two missiles on a house near Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan early Thursday and killed at least four people. Some sources claimed that those killed were Arab nationals. “The Government of Pakistan strongly condemns the US drone strike that took place near Miranshah in North Waziristan,” the Foreign Ministry said. “These strikes are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” a Foreign Ministry statement said, adding there is an across the board consensus in Pakistan that these drone strikes must end. The statement said the Government of Pakistan has been raising its concern over the drone strikes with the U.S. Administration and at the United Nations and that such strikes also set dangerous precedents in the inter-state relations. The Thursday’s strike occurred after a three-week lull which reflects the U.S. mood of no change in the covert mission. The US has continued the drone campaign despite strong reservations by the international rights groups as the UN General Assembly also adopted a resolution against its use earlier this month. The Foreign Ministry said the UN opposed the use of armed drones in foreign territories in what Pakistan claimed to be a ‘moral victory’ for the country. The UN General Assembly in its resolution on 18 December 2013 entitled “Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism”, called on states using drone strikes as a counter-terrorism measure to comply with their obligations under international law, the UN Charter, human rights law and international humanitarian law. The statement said Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, during his recent visit to the US had raised the issue with President Obama and other senior US leaders. It has been consistently maintained that drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights and humanitarian implications,” it said./end

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