Pakistan says US not to carry out drone attack during Taliban talks

The United States has assured Pakistan not to carry out any drone strike during peace talks with the Taliban, the country’s top security adviser said.

Sartaj Aziz, who also deals with the foreign affairs, told the Senate Foreign Affairs committee in Islamabad, that the U.S. drone strike which killed the Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsud, this month, has harmed the government peace talks with the militants.

Mehsud was killed when American spy aircraft rained missiles into North Waziristan tribal region on November 1^st just a day before a team of top Islamic scholars were to meet him to discuss about the agenda and venue for the negotiations.

Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP refused to talk to the government after the killing of their chief and also announced revenge attacks.

“The U.S. drone which killed the Taliban leader harmed Pakistan’s peace initiative,” Mr Aziz told the Senate committee convened to discuss the status of the government peace efforts.

“The United States has now assured Pakistan that it will not launch any drone strike when talks with the Taliban are started,” the security adviser said.

He informed the committee members that the government had been in contact with Hakimullah Mehsud and a team was scheduled to meet him in North Waziristan but the visit had to be cancelled after the U.S. strike.

“Hakimullah Mehsud was wanted to the U.S. targeted him as he had been a high value target for them,” the Pakistani adviser said.

The U.S. November 1^st strike was widely condemned in Pakistan as the government had accused Washington of sabotaging peace process.

Ruling coalition in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has announced to block supply route for NATO forces from November 23^rd as a protest against the drone strikes.

The cricketer-turned politician, Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf party rules the province, has said the blockade of the route will continue unless the U.S. stops drone attacks.

The issue of drone strikes is a source of tension between Pakistan and the U.S. as Washington is in no mood to change its covert operation despite Islamabad’s public condemnation.

The U.S. insists Pakistan has failed to act against the al-Qaeda operatives and Taliban militants in Waziristan tribal region who are accused of cross-border attacks into Afghanistan.    

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