Special Report: Pakistani Situation

    ISLAMABAD, March 26 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan has taken up the issue of drone attacks inside the country's tribal regions very forcefully with the United States, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said on Thursday.

    "Pakistan has reiterated that the drone attacks were counter productive and not helpful in the fight against terrorism and extremism," Basit said while addressing the weekly news briefing here.

    He dismissed reports that drone attacks were carried out with tacit permission of Pakistan, saying that how a country can allow its sovereignty and territorial integrity to be breached.

    "Pakistan has been cooperating sincerely as an ally, and the United States will understand its concerns and review its policy accordingly," Abdul Basit said.

    He said the whole issue of campaign against terror needed to be reviewed and there was need for a comprehensive regional approach in order to resolve the issues involved.

    Pakistan believes that force has not worked in the past and will not work in the future and therefore it is absolutely important that all stakeholders work towards promoting development and national reconciliation in Afghanistan, he said, "Instead of the use of force, there is a need to win the hearts and minds of people."

    His remarks came just a few hours after a suspected U.S. drone fired two missiles in North Waziristan tribal area, killing at least five people. On Wednesday, a suspected U.S. drone attack killed at least eight people in South Waziristan.

    The News Network International news agency quoted officials as saying that the U.S. had carried out over 30 drone attacks on the trial regions since August last year.

Suspected U.S. drone attack kills 6 in NW Pakistan

    ISLAMABAD, March 25 (Xinhua) -- A suspected U.S. missile attack hit northwestern Pakistan's tribal agency on Wednesday, killing at least six people, local television reported.

    The suspected U.S. pilotless drone fired missiles at a house in Makeen area of South Waziristan tribal agency, private Geo TV channel quoted witnesses as saying.  Full story