Nawaz says Pak govt will lose public support if US air attacks continued

Islamabad, Nov 2 : Former Pakistan premier Nawaz Sharif has said that the Pakistani government would lose public support if the US missile attacks on Pakistani soil continued.

In a written statement issued here last evening, he said that the government should initiate strategic dialogue with the United States instead of just protesting over the continued violations of the country's territory by the US.

Nawaz said that the missile attacks were a "challenge" for the survival and sovereignty of the country, and that the Bush administration must realise that the war against terrorism could never be won without the support of the people of the region.

He added that the US' strikes inside Pakistani territory were "eroding public support" for the cause.

There might be a civil war-like situation if the US did not comprehend the developing situation and problems faced by the peace-loving citizens of Pakistan, the Daily Times quoted him as saying.

The PML-N chief urged the world community to evolve a strategy that would make people feel secure. He said that two weeks had elapsed since a joint in-camera session of parliament passed a consensus resolution on security but the government had neither formed a committee nor announced any development package for the Tribal Areas as per the demand of the resolution.

ANI