Pakistan condemns the US Drone Strike in Miranshah

(2013-12-26)

The Government of Pakistan strongly condemns the US drone strike that took place near Miranshah in North Waziristan around midnight. These strikes are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. There is an across the board consensus in Pakistan that these drone strikes must end.

The Government of Pakistan has been raising its concern over the drone strikes with the U.S. Administration and at the United Nations. The Prime Minister during his recent visit to the US had raised the issue with President Obama and other senior US leaders. The UN General Assembly in its resolution on 18 December 2013 entitled “Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism”, called on states using drone strikes as a counter-terrorism measure to comply with their obligations under international law, the UN Charter, human rights law and international humanitarian law.

It has been consistently maintained that drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights and humanitarian implications. Such strikes also set dangerous precedents in the inter-state relations.

These drone strikes have a negative impact on the Government’s efforts to bring peace and stability in Pakistan and the region.

Islamabad

26 December 2013

364/2013