Pak again asks US to stop drone attacks

Paris, July 22 (ANI): Pakistan has once again slammed the United States for the continued drone attacks on the 'lawless' tribal region along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

In an interview to a French television channel, Interior Advisor Rehman Malik said the whole country is against the drone strikes which has killed more civilians than the extremists.

"Well, if you talk of drones, our whole nation has condemned them. Our four regional assemblies, our national assembly, our senate all passed unanimous resolutions saying no to drones," Malik said.

Calling the United States "champion of democracy", he said Washington should act on Islamabad's request to halt the missile hits.

"We said to the United States:You are a great champion of democracy, and here is a small democratic country with all voices saying stop the drones'. I think the US must listen and must stop the drones," The Dawn quoted Malik, as saying.

Malik said Pakistan has capability to take action against Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, and added that the US must provide real time information if it wants to see action against him.

"If they give us real time information we're quite capable of handling Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. If we are given the information I assure you that we have the capability to take the necessary action against him," he said.

Pakistan has been objecting to drone strikes for long. While Islamabad says the attacks are proving counterproductive, Washington believes they are quite helpful against the insurgents based in the region.

More than 35 missile strikes have killed over 350 people since August 2008. (ANI)