Pakistan on Friday conveyed its deep concern to United States Ambassador in Pakistan Richard Olson over the recent drone attack that took place in Hangu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to a Foreign Office statement here, the government of Pakistan has strongly condemned the US drone strike that took place on Thursday in Hangu district. "The deep concerns of the government of Pakistan were conveyed to the US Ambassador in Islamabad on the same day by Advisor to the Prime Minister for National Security and Foreign affairs Sartaj Aziz," said the statement.
However, it was not clear whether the US Ambassador was also summoned or not to lodge the protest - a diplomatic practice.
"Ever since it took over, the government has been raising its concern over the drone strikes with the US Administration and at the United Nations," it said, adding Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during his recent visit to the US had also raised the issue with President Obama and other senior US leaders.
It was therefore a matter of particular concern to Pakistan that the Thursday's strike targeted a location in the KP province which resulted in unfortunate killings of several persons including children. "Our deep concern in this regard was conveyed by the Advisor to US Ambassador, adding it has deeply disturbed the people of Pakistan," it added.
The Advisor re-emphasised that the drone strikes were not only a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also having negative impact on the government's efforts to pursue the consensus achieved in the All Parties Conference to explore the dialogue process to bring peace and stability in the region. "The government of Pakistan would demand immediate cessation of these drone strikes," the statement added.
The Thursday's drone attack was the first of its nature that has been carried out in the jurisdiction of KP, which came hours after Sartaj Aziz told Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that the US had given an assurance that they would not carry out the drone strikes against the TTP during the peace process with Taliban.
Earlier, at the beginning of the current month, a US drone targeted former TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud a day before the government claimed that it was all set to send a three-member delegation for the peace talks with the Taliban.