ISLAMABAD - Pakistan is to summon the US envoy to the foreign office in protest at the deaths of 18 people in an airstrike apparently targeting the deputy leader of Al Qaeda, officials said on Saturday. âA strong protest has being lodged with the United States. The US ambassador is also being summoned to the foreign office,â President Pervez Musharrafâs spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan told AFP.
The Pakistani foreign ministry said it had lodged a protest with US Ambassador Ryan Crocker. âAccording to preliminary investigations there was foreign presence in the area and that in all probability was targeted from across the border in Afghanistan,â the ministry said in a statement.
| It's safe to say you guys didn't have a hand in it. |
âAs a result of this act there has been loss of innocent civilian lives which we condemn. The investigations are still continuing,â it added.
| We're sorry about the wimminfolk and the kids. We're sorrier that grown men hide behind wimminfolk and kids. |
Separately Pakistani Information Minister Sheikh Rashid condemned the incident, without directly pointing the finger at the United States. âWe deeply regret that civilian lives have been lost in an incident in Bajur agency,â he said.
âWhile this act is highly condemnable we have been for a long time striving to rid all our tribal areas of foreign intruders who have been responsible for all the misery and violence. That situation has to be brought to an end.â Rashid added that residents in the semi-autonomous tribal regions were responsible for cooperating with the government to drive out foreign militants.
| That's for us; there isn't a chance in the world that they'd do it, of course. |
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