Pakistan has condemned a suspected U.S. drone strike that killed 17 suspected militants in the country's northwestern tribal area.
The foreign ministry statement, issued shortly after Wednesday's strike, said drone strikes are counter-productive and have human rights and humanitarian implications.
Pakistani officials say drones fired four missiles at a compound near the market in Miranshah, North Waziristan. They say the strike apparently targeted the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network.
Wednesday's strike is the second since Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office following his win in May's elections.
Sharif summoned a U.S. Embassy official to formally protest drone strikes in June, hours after a suspected missile attack in North Waziristan. Sharif has called for an end to the attacks, saying they violate his country's sovereignty.
Also Wednesday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry denied charges the Pakistani military has been involved in drone strikes in Afghanistan, calling it “yet another attempt to malign Pakistan.”
Afghanistan's army chief General Sher Mohammad Karimi stirred tensions with the allegations in a recent interview in which he also alleged Islamabad has control over the Taliban.
Similar allegations in the past have soured the relations between the two countries.
The foreign ministry statement, issued shortly after Wednesday's strike, said drone strikes are counter-productive and have human rights and humanitarian implications.
Pakistani officials say drones fired four missiles at a compound near the market in Miranshah, North Waziristan. They say the strike apparently targeted the al-Qaida-linked Haqqani network.
Wednesday's strike is the second since Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office following his win in May's elections.
Sharif summoned a U.S. Embassy official to formally protest drone strikes in June, hours after a suspected missile attack in North Waziristan. Sharif has called for an end to the attacks, saying they violate his country's sovereignty.
Also Wednesday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry denied charges the Pakistani military has been involved in drone strikes in Afghanistan, calling it “yet another attempt to malign Pakistan.”
Afghanistan's army chief General Sher Mohammad Karimi stirred tensions with the allegations in a recent interview in which he also alleged Islamabad has control over the Taliban.
Similar allegations in the past have soured the relations between the two countries.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
