A view of the Punjab Assembly. — Photo by APP

LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Friday unanimously passed a resolution condemning US drone attacks in Pakistan’s northwestern tribal areas, DawnNews reported.

The resolution, tabled by Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz's MPA Begum Khwaja Naseem, stated that US drone attacks in the tribal areas were a breach of national sovereignty.

The resolution condemned Thursday's attack in North Waziristan in which at least 40 civilians were killed and demanded the government to adopt a clear stance on drone strikes.

The House, subsequently, adopted the resolution unanimously.

The US does not confirm drone attacks but its military and the CIA operating in Afghanistan are the only forces that deploy the unmanned aircraft in the region.

The covert campaign last year doubled missile attacks in the tribal area, where more than 100 drone strikes killed over 670 people in 2010, compared with 45 strikes that killed 420 in 2009, according to an AFP tally.

Pakistan tacitly cooperates with the bombing campaign, which US officials say has severely weakened al Qaeda’s leadership.

But Pakistan has stalled on launching a ground offensive in North Waziristan, saying its troops are overstretched.

The US strikes are deeply unpopular among the Pakistani public, who say attacks have often killed innocent civilians.