US drone strikes regrettable, must stop: Pak army chief

Islamabad, June 1: Pakistan on Wednesday reiterated its stand that US drone strikes within its territory were a threat to the sovereignty and security of the country and must stop. Pakistan Army Chief General Raheel Sharif made the comment while speaking informally to the media after attending President Mamnoon Hussain’s address to a joint session of Parliament, along with the chiefs of vy and the air force.

The army chief’s comment came days after Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor was killed in a US drone strike in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. The Pakistan government has earlier described the US drone strike as a violation of its sovereignty.

Gen Sharif on Wednesday asserted that failure was not an option in the war against terrorism and vowed that Operation Zarb-e-Azab would be completed this year. In an informal conversation with media at the Parliament House, the army chief reflected on the ongoing activities of the Pakistan Army and said that the operation to root out terrorism was progressing successfully.

“I have earlier said that 2016 will mark the elimition of terrorism,” he said. Gen Sharif said that 99 per cent terrorism had been brought under control and that the remaining one percent would be eradicated as well. Gen Sharif on his visit to the Parliament House met the executive parliamentarians in the capital. (IANS)