ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Tuesday that it considers strikes by the US spy aircraft in the tribal regions as illegal and violation of the country’s e against unmanned drone strikes inside its territory are illegal and counterproductive, local media reported.
Reports say that the Foreign Office spokesman, Abdul Basit made the remarks to a statement by US President Barack Obama that drone aircrafts had targeted militants in Pakistani tribal areas.
"We are of the firm view that these are unlawful, counterproductive and hence unacceptable," he added. He said, "Our view has always been very clear and position principled."
President Barack Obama had claimed that the US drone aircraft have struck Taliban and Al Qaeda targets within Pakistan.
When asked about the use of drones by his administration in a chat with web users on Google+ and YouTube, Obama said "a lot of these strikes have been in the FATA" -- Pakistan s Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
Since 2004, US drones have carried out more than 300 attacks inside Pakistan. Majority in Pakistan describes these drone strikes as a sheer violation of country’s sovereignty.
Earlier the newly-appointed Pakistani ambassador in Washington, Sherry Rehman, had admitted that her country relations with the U.S. are certainly not “normal” times.
“Pakistan and the U.S. tensions have never been so grave. We witnessed repeated episodes in recent times which undermined the relationship,” she said.
She said Pakistan wants to remain friends with the United States but our relationship must be based on mutual interests, respect and shared values. Online
