Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said his country has asked the US to share its drone technology with Pakistan so as to enable the military to hit more militant hideouts on its own.
Pakistan has sought drone technology from the US so as to carry out attacks on militant hideouts in the restive tribal region, as strikes by American spy planes were creating complications for the political and military leadership in the country.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today said his country has asked the US to share its drone technology with Pakistan so as to enable the military to hit more militant hideouts on its own.
"We were able to convince the US to some extent about the negative impact of drone attacks. We are asking them to give drone technology to Pakistan and to assist us by pointing out militant targets to our forces," Gilani said during an interaction with representatives of the foreign media at his residence in Lahore.
Responding to a question about US drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal belt, Gilani said such attacks were creating complications for the political and military leadership.
"These attacks become a reason for unity between militants and people in the tribal areas and create hatred against (the security) forces," he said.
Transferring drone technology to Pakistan will enable security forces to carry out strikes against militants, Gilani said.
Shortly before the premier’s interaction with the journalists, US spy planes carried out two attacks in North Waziristan that killed seven suspected militants.
CIA-operated drones have carried out more than 100 attacks in North Waziristan tribal agency alone last year.
The US has stepped up pressure on Pakistan to move troops into the volatile region to flush out Taliban and al-Qaeda elements who target foreign forces across the border in Afghanistan.
The US considers North Waziristan a safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda elements, including commanders Hafiz Gul Bahadur and Mulla Nazir, who are fighting US and NATO in Afghanistan.
The Haqqani network, which is also fighting US forces in Afghanistan, is based in the region, US officials say. The network is run by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the son of commander Jalaluddin Haqqani.
The drone attacks has sparked protest among the tribesmen in Pakistan's volatile North Waziristan region, demanding an immediate halt to the US drone strikes.
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