Pakistan Condemns Latest Round of US Drone Strikes

US Leadership 'Understands' Pakistan Opposes Attacks

by Jason Ditz, January 04, 2013

Pakistani Foreign Office officials have issued another condemnation of the latest round of US drone strikes, which killed 13 people over the past couple of days. They said that the US leadership “understands” their opposition and that Pakistan’s opposition has not changed.

Officials added that they had brought up the matter with the US at “the highest levels” on several occasions, and believed the matter should be resolved through “bilateral talks” with the US in the future.

This is in stark contrast to the US position on such strikes, which is that Pakistan hasn’t told them directly to stop and that they therefore assume to have “tacit consent” to continue such attacks.

Officials said they could not confirm reports that the latest US strikes had killed Maulvi Nazir. This likely wouldn’t change their position, as Pakistan has had a peace treaty with Nazir since 2006, and his death might indeed destabilize South Waziristan from their perspective.

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