Drones used regularly in Pak

In a first,Obama admits to secretive drone programme during live web chat

American drones regularly target terrorists in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas FATA of Pakistan,President Barack Obama Tuesday said in a first such acknowledgment by the top US leadership on its successful but secretive programme.

A lot of these strikes have been in the FATA,and going after al-Qaeda suspects who are up in very tough terrain along the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Obama said in response to a question during his first Google and You Tube live web chat from the White House. For us to be able to get them in another way would involve probably a lot more intrusive military action than the ones were already engaging in, Obama said.

More than 1,30,000 questions were received,the White House said. Obama said these strikes by unmanned drones are regularly carried out and these are a targeted focussed effort at people who are on a list of active terrorists. For the most part,theyve been very precise precision strikes against al-Qaeda and their affiliates,and were very careful in terms of how its been applied, he said,responding to a question.

According to the US media,64 US missile strikes were reported in the area in 2011,down from 101 in 2010. I want to make sure that people understand,actually drones have not caused huge number of civilians casualties, he said. On Pakistans cooperation in war on terror,Obama said: I do agree that a country like Pakistan is one where our relations have got more strained because there are a lot of extremists inside their country and either for lack of capacity or political will they havent taken them all on. In some cases,they have been very cooperative,in some cases not as much.

Pakistan responded Tuesday to the remarks by saying such attacks were unlawful. Drone attacks are unlawful,counter-productive and hence unacceptable, Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said.

Haqqani leaves for US after SC nod
Islamabad: Pakistans former envoy to the US,Husain Haqqani,Tuesday left for the US after the Supreme Court eased travel restrictions that were imposed on him after he was implicated in the memo scandal. Haqqani is to join his family currently in the US.

Militants attack Pak post,43 killed
Islamabad: At least eight soldiers and 35 militants were killed Tuesday in a skirmish that began after scores of Taliban fighters attacked a military post in the restive Kurram tribal region of northwest Pakistan. The Inter-Services Public Relations confirmed the death of eight soldiers and 35 militants.