October 30, 2008	Thursday	Shawwal 30, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: The Foreign Office summoned US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson on Wednesday and lodged a protest against recent drone attacks on Pakistan’s territory.

Spokesman Mohammad Sadiq said that a ‘strong protest’ had been lodged with the ambassador.

It may be mentioned that the Senate adopted on Friday a unanimous resolution condemning the attacks and senators urged the government to take effective steps to ensure that missile attacks by CIA-controlled Predator drones were stopped. Leader of the House Raza Rabbani had assured the house that the US ambassador would be summoned to the Foreign Office and a protest would be lodged.

A copy of the resolution was handed over to Ms Patterson.

The latest attack in South Waziristan on Sunday killed 20 people, including two local Taliban commanders loyal to Jalaluddin Haqqani. It was the fifth attack this month and 18th in 12 weeks.

Acting Foreign Secretary Khalid Aziz Babar, who lodged the protest, called for an immediate halt to the attacks which, he said, constituted a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.

The attacks, the ambassador was told, had resulted in losses of precious lives and property and also undermined public support for government’s efforts to combat terrorism.