Zardari demands halt to US drone attacks inside Pak territory

Islamabad, Nov 3 : President Asif Ali Zardari has termed drone attacks on Pakistani territory as counter-productive, and said on Monday that these raids should be stopped and focus should be more on enhanced coordination and intelligence sharing.

"Continuing drone attacks on our territory, which result in loss of precious lives and property, are counterproductive and difficult to explain by a democratically elected government. It is creating a credibility gap", he said.

The President was talking to Commander US Central Command General David Petraeus and Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher, who called on him here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervaiz Kayani, Secretary Foreign Affairs Salman Bashir, US Ambassador Anne W Patterson and senior civil and military officials from the two sides were also present in the meeting.

The President said that US leadership has affirmed respect for Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding however that in the wake drone attacks on our side of the border the government was under pressure to react more aggressively.

ANI