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Paksitan: Foreign Office rejects drone operations expansion idea
ISLAMABAD, (Agencies): Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit on Saturday said the United States has been clearly conveyed that action against militants in Pakistani territory will be carried out by Pakistan.
Pakistan strongly rejects the idea of expanding drone attacks, Basit told DawnNews.
“We are allies of the United States in the war against terror, however, Pakistan will not compromise on sovereignty,” Basit said.
The United States well knows the repercussions of expansion of drone operations to other regions within Pakistani territory, he said.
Basit said there was a need for increased intelligence cooperation between Pakistan and the United States.
He further said there was no way that drone operations could be extended to Quetta, adding that raising the spectre of the so-called Quetta shura was preposterous.
Separately, a senior Pakistani intelligence official said the country had rejected the US request to expand the areas where American missiles can target militants.
The official said Pakistan tolerates the drone strikes in remote militant strongholds near the Afghan border as a ”necessary evil” but cannot sanction widening them into more-populated areas. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
The US has sharply increased attacks by remote-controlled drones, launching more than 100 this year. Most have hit North Waziristan, believed to be a hide-out of militants plotting attacks against international troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan officially condemns the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty
ISLAMABAD, (Agencies): Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit on Saturday said the United States has been clearly conveyed that action against militants in Pakistani territory will be carried out by Pakistan.
Pakistan strongly rejects the idea of expanding drone attacks, Basit told DawnNews.
“We are allies of the United States in the war against terror, however, Pakistan will not compromise on sovereignty,” Basit said.
The United States well knows the repercussions of expansion of drone operations to other regions within Pakistani territory, he said.
Basit said there was a need for increased intelligence cooperation between Pakistan and the United States.
He further said there was no way that drone operations could be extended to Quetta, adding that raising the spectre of the so-called Quetta shura was preposterous.
Separately, a senior Pakistani intelligence official said the country had rejected the US request to expand the areas where American missiles can target militants.
The official said Pakistan tolerates the drone strikes in remote militant strongholds near the Afghan border as a ”necessary evil” but cannot sanction widening them into more-populated areas. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the press.
The US has sharply increased attacks by remote-controlled drones, launching more than 100 this year. Most have hit North Waziristan, believed to be a hide-out of militants plotting attacks against international troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan officially condemns the strikes as a violation of its sovereignty
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