Pakistan opposes US drone strikes

Islamabad has reiterated its strong opposition to the ongoing CIA-operated deadly campaign of drone strikes inside Pakistani soil.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Friday that the US drone attacks cause civilian casualties and are in breach of international law as well as Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

“The Government of Pakistan has consistently maintained that the drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives, have human rights and humanitarian implications and violate the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law,” the statement read.

Pakistan’s government was reacting to US President Barack Obama who on Thursday defended the use of controversial terror drones as self-defense.

Over the past several years, Washington has been launching drone attacks on Muslim countries, including Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen.

Pakistan’s tribal regions are attacked by US assassination drones almost regularly, with Washington claiming that militants are the targets. However, casualty figures clearly indicate that civilians are the main victims.

The killing of Pakistani civilians, including women and children, has strained relations between Islamabad and Washington. The US assassination drone strikes have triggered massive protests in Pakistan.

The United Nations says the US-operated drone strikes in Pakistan pose a growing challenge to the rule of international law.