Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday strongly condemned as "irrational behaviour" a US drone strike in a tribal region. Civilians and police were among those killed when missiles fired by a drone hit a militant training compound in Datta Khel town, 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of Miranshah. "Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has strongly condemned the drone attack in and said it will only strengthen the hands of radical and extremist elements," an official statement said.
"Such irrational behaviour negatively impacts the efforts to separate the militants from the peaceful and patriotic tribesmen of the areas," he added. Army chief General Ashfaq Kayani also condemned the attack as "unjustifiable" and said the army had already launched a protest in the "strongest possible terms". "It has been highlighted clearly that such aggression against people of Pakistan is unjustified and intolerable under any circumstances".
The prime minister said, "such attacks will bode very negatively on our joint efforts to eliminate the menace of terrorism in this region". He further expressed his sympathies with the bereaved families and assured that all possible security measures would be taken to protect the people of the region.