Islamabad: Hours after a US drone strike in North Waziristan, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf today expressed Pakistan’s opposition to the campaign by the CIA-operated spy planes and said the two sides should find “alternative ways to eliminate terrorists”.
Ashraf raised the issue of drone strikes in the backdrop of today’s attack on a compound in North Waziristan when US Ambassador Richard Olson called on the premier at his official residence this morning.
This was the maiden courtesy call on the premier by Olson, who recently took over as the US envoy.
“Expressing his concern over the drone attacks, the Prime Minister said that they are counterproductive and we need to find alternative means to eliminate terrorists,” said a statement issued by the premier’s office.
The CIA’s drone campaign has emerged as a major irritant in US-Pakistan ties in recent months.
Pakistani authorities provided tacit backing for the campaign when it was launched during the military regime of former President Pervez Musharraf and the current Pakistan Peoples Party-led government had initially continued with the support.
Strong opposition from the public and hardline groups has forced the government to do a rethink on the drone strikes.
Over the past few months, senior American diplomats have been summoned to the Foreign Office several times for formal protests against the drone strikes.
