Pak govt to find strategy soon to deal with US drone strikes

Islamabad, Nov 24 : Pakistan President Asif Ai Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani last evening said that in accordance with recommendations of the recently-formed Parliamentary Committee on National Security, the federal government would work out a new strategy to deal with frequent US drone attacks.

The duo reiterated the government's resolve not to compromise on national sovereignty and integrity.

During an hour-long meeting at the President House, both reportedly agreed that the strategy would be worked out after a briefing to the committee by Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Interior Adviser Rehman Malik and director-general of Inter Services Intelligence, reported the Dawn.

Besides, security situation in the country and steps being taken by the government for reviving the economy were also discussed at the meeting.

According to an official handout, President Zardari termed the US drone attacks inside Pakistani territory counter-productive and said the raids must be stopped.

He added the government was coming under "pressure" to react aggressively to the attack.

There have been reports that the US had demanded joint military operations against militants in Fata, but the president rejected the demands and informed the US government that public sentiments against the US were intensifying in Pakistan.

The prime minister is reported to have urged the US administration to abide by the unanimously approved resolution of parliament on national security and terrorism.

He said that Pakistan had no agreement with the US allowing it to carry out incursions inside its territory. "As far as my government is concerned, certainly we have no agreement with the US to continue air attacks inside Pakistan," the paper quoted him as saying.

The prime minister said that if the US continued such attacks, sentiments against the US, NATO and the West would rise.

ANI