Pakistan strongly condemns US drone strike

The Government of Pakistan strongly condemned on Monday the US drone strike that took place in Mir Ali Tehsil of North Waziristan tribal Agency of northern Pakistan bordering Afghanistan late on the night of 13 July 2013, said an official press release. According to the press release, these unilateral strikes are a violation of Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity. Pakistan has repeatedly emphasized the importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes. The Government of Pakistan has consistently maintained that drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights and humanitarian implications. Such strikes also set dangerous precedents in the inter-state relations, it further added. At least two people were killed in a US-led drone attack in Waziristan Agency tribal area of northern Pakistan bordering Afghanistan late on Saturday night. Two missiles were fired from the drone targeting a motorbike in Mosaki village damaging the houses around the target too. The drone attacks by the US are very unpopular in Pakistan and government of Pakistan has clearly declared it as violation of the sovereignty of the country earlier too. It was the third attack as Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) came in power after May 11 general elections. The PML-N chief and prime minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif has also condemned the drone strikes in strong words, however US officials are said to believe the attacks are too important to give up. These drone strikes have a negative impact on the mutual desire of both countries to forge a cordial and cooperative relationship and to ensure peace and stability in the region, the press release added.