Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday condemned US airstrikes inside Pakistan as 'intolerable', and hoped the incursions would stop with the change in command at the White House. | It's 'intolerable' but he'll tolerate it until at least January 20th ... |
"Once the transition period in the US comes to an end and Barack Obama's government is in place, these attacks will come to an end," he added. Gilani also hoped the issue could be tackled through diplomatic efforts and international lobbying. The national security adviser was in constant touch with his US counterpart, and Pakistani concerns were being conveyed to the Americans, he added.
"You should not doubt that the army would not support the government or its policies ... the army will take steps with the consent of the administration," he said.
Earlier, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) asked the government to take up its concerns over the drone attacks with the United Nations. Opposition Leader in the House Nisar Ali Khan said the US incursions were not coming to an end despite Pakistan's stance that there would be no compromise on the country's territorial integrity and sovereignty. The opposition leader said the government should adopt "a graceful way of protesting and convey to the US ambassador that Pakistan would raise the issue at the UN". Online quoted Nisar as saying that the parliamentary resolution on national security had become a 'joke'.
PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal said the continuing US attacks "apparently confirm a Washington Post report on a tacit understanding between the two sides". However, Raza Rabbani defended the government and categorically rejected the Washington Post report.