US drone attacks violate Pakistan's territorial integrity: FO

Published
0

USdrone_AFP670
A US "Predator" drone passes overhead at a forward operating base near Kandahar. — Photo by AFP/File

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Monday said that US drone attacks in Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region were a violation of the country's sovereignty, DawnNews reported.

A statement issued by the Foreign Office said drone attacks violated international laws and Pakistan's territorial integrity.

The statement moreover said that the attacks were an obstacle to the normalisation of diplomatic, political and strategic ties between Pakistan and the United States.

The statement followed a drone strike on Saturday morning in North Waziristan which killed at least 10 people.

It was the second strike since the parliament in March approved new guidelines on relations with the US, which included a call for an end to drone attacks on Pakistani territory.

Pakistan says the drone strikes are counter productive and undermine government efforts to separate tribes from militants, violate Pakistan’s sovereignty, kill civilians and fuel anti-US sentiment.

Pakistan raised the issue with Marc Grossman, the US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, when he visited Islamabad last month amid efforts to mend fractured relations.

The uneasy allies are currently taking tentative steps to repair a serious crisis in relations over last year’s covert American raid that killed Osama bin Laden and US air strikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Opinion

Emergency matters

Emergency matters

If this new technocratic setup proves to be successful and efficient, it might just end up increasing centralisation of decision-making.

Editorial

Burnt bridges
Updated 20 Oct, 2026

Burnt bridges

If PPP wants the decision reversed, it should convince its ally in Islamabad, not ask the opposition to be ‘positive’.
Toll on trade
Updated 20 Oct, 2026

Toll on trade

Islamabad must find the right balance between its security priorities and the economic strain on KP’s residents.
French protests
20 Oct, 2026

French protests

SEVERAL European states have witnessed mass protests over the past few days, mostly focusing on socioeconomic...
Eating grass for AI
Updated 19 Oct, 2026

Eating grass for AI

As dependence on AI grows, the bill could reach hundreds of millions of dollars by the end of the decade.
Climate exodus
Updated 19 Oct, 2026

Climate exodus

Climate displacement could then become another source of instability unless governments prepare for it together.
Settler terrorism
19 Oct, 2026

Settler terrorism

ISRAEL’S genocidal violence in occupied Gaza has understandably captured the world’s attention. Yet another...