ISLAMABAD: Musadik Malik special assistant to Prime Minister (PM) Shahid Khaqan Abbasi while dispelling impression about change in government policy on drone attacks has made it clear that Pakistan stance on drone attacks is the same what it was pursuing before.
“ government has never allowed US to conduct drone attacks in tribal areas. It has been our stand from the very first day that these attacks are gross violation of our sovereignty”, he said this while talking in a private TV program here Wednesday.
The recent drone attack is a matter of grave concern for us, he said adding we have pursued the same stance on these attacks what we had adopted in the past on such attacks.
Although PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had given a clear message to US administration that US along with Pakistan could carry out a joint operation against the terrorists, therefore, if US thinks that there are terrorists in any area then it should identify and inform us about them, he remarked.
He held that the drone attacks which have been conducted recently are not outcome of any joint operation. Because US have not made any contact in this regard so far, he pointed out.
To a question if government stance is the same what it was in the past then why it is so confused on these attacks he said that there is nothing like this here. As far condemnation from foreign office is concerned it will come within a few days, he added.
We are declaring it an attack and not an action taken with the consent of Pakistan and it is not appropriate to give a stern reaction instantly due to foreign matters , he underlined. However this matter will be taken up in the meeting of National Security Council, he observed.
