Zardari seeks help from foreign envoys to stop US drone attacks

Islamabad, Jan 28 (ANI): President Asif Ali Zardari has sought the diplomatic community's help to stop the United States from carrying out drone attacks on al Qaeda militants in Pakistan's Tribal Areas bordering Afghanistan.

Speaking at a dinner hosted for foreign ambassadors on Tuesday, Zardari said Pakistan had joined the anti-terror war for its own security, but the US drone attacks were proving detrimental to its efforts.

Besides French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Russian ambassadors, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Interior Adviser Rehman Malik and Finance Adviser Shaukat Tareen also attended the dinner, the Daily Times reported.

Meanwhile, suspected US drones flew over various areas of North Waziristan Agency on Tuesday, a private TV channel reported.

According to the channel, the pilotless aircraft made three to four flights over various parts of the agency, spreading panic among the tribesmen who are already concerned over the growing missile strikes in the Tribal Areas.

Islamabad's hopes from the Obama Administration to stop drone strikes were dashed when two missile attacks in Waziristan killed 18 people on Friday in the first strike after the new US president's inauguration. (ANI)