Pakistan says discussing options to stop U.S. drone strikes
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Aug 26, IRNA -- Pakistan has again termed the U.S. drone attacks on its territory as violation of its integrity and sovereignty and said that various options are being considered to stop them.
The statement came just few hours after American spy aircraft carried out three strikes in North Waziristan tribal regions and killed at least 16 people, security officials and local media reported. About 14 more people were also injured in strikes in Shawal area, some 100 kilometers from Miranshah, the headquarters of North Waziristan.
The U.S. has increased the number of drone strikes in the same region over the past few days despite Pakistan's opposition and amid media reports about a possible military operation in North Waziristan.
Pakistan Thursday summoned a senior U.S. diplomat to the Foreign Ministry for a formal protest over the recent drone strikes in North Waziristan.
Foreign Office Spokesman Moazzam Ahmad Khan told weekly press briefing on Friday that Pakistan is positive and is very clear that drone attacks are unproductive, illegal and violation of the country's sovereignty and integrity.
He said that Pakistan is discussing several options with the United States to stop drone strikes but said the options could not be revealed now but Pakistan is seeking a bilateral solution of this issue.
To a question the Spokesman said that Pakistan has nothing to do with the operations of drones.
About the Taliban militants incursion into Pakistani territory for attacks on border posts near Afghanistan, the Spokesman said Pakistan has asked the Afghan Government to do something to stop them.
The spokesman said that Pakistan's territory would not be allowed to be used against Afghanistan and any country. “We have a will and a determination that no militant would be allowed to use our territory for terrorism”.
The Spokesman said that Afghanistan is a vast territorial country and has a lot of neighbours. He said Pakistan is not involved in any kind of attacks on NATO forces inside Afghanistan. He said Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in constructive matters to be addressed and Islamabad has a desire to address all issues mutually.
Pakistan-U.S. strategic dialogue: To a question, the spokesman said that strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States are expected to resume this year. The dialogue process disrupted due to tension over several key issues including the unilateral U.S. attack to kill Osama bin Laden in May 2011 and an American airstrike on a Pakistani post which killed 26 soldiers in November last year.
The third ministerial session of the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue was held in Washington in October 2010.
To a question about the would be publishing of a book by an American writer Richard Miniter about the killing of Osama bin Ladin, the spokesman said that let the book be published and he can not comment on speculations, as it is too early.
An American journalist Richard Miniter in his latest book has claimed that a colonel from Pakistan’s spy agency had helped the US in providing vital information in locating former al Qaeda chief, Osama Bin Laden, and that Pakistan’s army chief may have been briefed on the Abbottabad raid five months in advance.
Pakistan army rejected the book as an attempt to malign the country's security forces.
The book, “Leading from Behind: The Reluctant President and the Advisors Who Decide for Him” claimed that Pakistan had a greater role in the Abbottabad raid than what the American CIA had earlier stated.
The book alleged that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officer had walked into the CIA’s Islamabad station in August 2010 and provided vital help in tracing Osama.
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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 80291837
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