Islamabad, June 12 (IANS): Pakistan has condemned two pre-dawn US drone strikes Thursday on militant hideouts in North Waziristan, a media report said.
"The government of Pakistan condemns the two incidents of US drone strikes that took place near Miranshah in North Waziristan on 11 and 12 June," Dawnonline quoted a foreign office (FO) statement as saying.
At least 16 suspected militants were killed in two successive US drone strikes in tribal region bordering Afghanistan, in north-western Pakistan early Thursday.
The last US drone attack in the country was carried out in December last year that killed three suspected militants.
The drone strikes had been halted for nearly five months in the wake of peace talks between the government and the Taliban.
"These strikes are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and additionally, these strikes have a negative impact on the government’s efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region," the foreign office said.
Foreign office spokesperson Tasneem Alsam, in a briefing, said the facts were being ascertained and added that Pakistan’s position on drones was very clear.
According to Dawnonline, the Pakistani government strongly condemned the drone strikes and maintained its stance that strikes violate the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The FO and government have previously raised concern over drone strikes with the US administration and at the United Nations, saying the attacks are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights and humanitarian implications, the report said.
The recent drone strikes were launched just three days after the Pakistani Taliban launched a deadly attack on Karachi airport that killed over 30 people.