Pakistan PM Calls For Halt To US Drone Strikes

Islamabad, Sept 28, IRNA - Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, during his speech at the UN General Assembly, called for a halt to the attacks by US unnamed spy aircraft in the country’s tribal regions. “The use of armed drones in the border areas of Pakistan is a continued violation of our territorial integrity,” he said. Sharif said drone strikes result in casualties of innocent civilians and is detrimental to Pakistan’s resolve and efforts to eliminate extremism and terrorism. The PM said he has urged the US to cease drone strikes so that “we could avert further casualties and suffering.” He hoped that soon Palestine would join the UN as a full member state, saying resumption of the stalled peace process should lead to the consolidation of an independent‚ viable and contiguous state of Palestine‚ based on the pre-1967 border‚ with the holy Quds as its capital. He appealed to the Syrian Government and opposition groups to move to the negotiating table in Geneva to prepare a road map for national reconciliation and the necessary political transition. He said Pakistan remains opposed to the use of chemical weapons and condemns it in the strongest terms. As to Afghanistan‚ the PM said Pakistan supports an inclusive‚ Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process‚ leading to national reconciliation. Sharif said during his visit to Pakistan‚ he assured President Hamid Karzai that Islamabad does not wish to interfere in Kabuls internal affairs. He said Pakistan encourages UN efforts for stabilization of Afghanistan. “We will work together with Afghanistan for regional and economic cooperation that would establish and reinforce regional trade‚ energy and communications corridors.” He said a manifestation of our solidarity with the Afghan people has been our willingness to hit millions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan for many decades. The PM reiterated that the war against terrorism must be waged within the framework of international law./end