Local and international media had reported two suspected US drone strikes in the North and South Waziristan tribal regions in early February, killing up to 11 people including two Al Qaeda men.—File Photo

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan's military on Tuesday rejected a report published in a US newspaper on recent drone strikes in northwestern Pakistan, calling it a “distortion of facts” and an attempt at weakening the country's stand against drone strikes.

Commenting on the report published in the New York Times on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said “such an accusation is a distortion of the facts and seems to be aimed at diluting Pakistan’s stance on drone strikes.”

Local and international media had reported two suspected US drone strikes in the North and South Waziristan tribal regions in early February.

According to Dawn reports, the first strike on Feb 6 targeted a suspected compound in North Waziristan agency killing three unidentified people. The second strike on Feb 8 carried out on the border of the North and South Waziristan tribal regions was reported to have targeted a compound owned by a local Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander.

Intelligence officials said the Feb 8 attack killed eight militants, including two Al Qaeda men. The rest, sources said, were local TTP fighters.

However, the report published by the New York Times today quoted unnamed US intelligence officials as denying the US carried out the attacks and instead accused Pakistani forces of carrying out the strikes.

Rejecting the report, the ISPR spokesman denied Pakistan’s security forces having carried out any operation, including air strikes, in the area on dates mentioned in the news report.

Opinion

Editorial

All this talk
Updated 30 Apr, 2024

All this talk

The other parties are equally legitimate stakeholders in the country’s political future, and it must give them due consideration.
Monetary policy
30 Apr, 2024

Monetary policy

ALIGNING its decision with the trend in developed economies, the State Bank has acted wisely by holding its key...
Meaningless appointment
30 Apr, 2024

Meaningless appointment

THE PML-N’s policy of ‘family first’ has once again triggered criticism. The party’s latest move in this...
Weathering the storm
Updated 29 Apr, 2024

Weathering the storm

Let 2024 be the year when we all proactively ensure that our communities are safeguarded and that the future is secure against the inevitable next storm.
Afghan repatriation
29 Apr, 2024

Afghan repatriation

COMPARED to the roughshod manner in which the caretaker set-up dealt with the issue, the elected government seems a...
Trying harder
29 Apr, 2024

Trying harder

IT is a relief that Pakistan managed to salvage some pride. Pakistan had taken the lead, then fell behind before...