A former top American intelligence official has said instead of over reliance on the controversial drone campaign, US should offer cooperation to Pakistan in establishing law and order in restive tribal areas.

Islamabad, Jan 23/Nationaltuk- Amid Pakistani leaders’ clamour that US drones are violating country’s sovereignty, a former top American intelligence official has said instead of over reliance on the controversial campaign, US should offer cooperation to Pakistan in establishing law and order in restive tribal areas.

“I think that our use of drones in Pakistan has to be consistent with the international law and the laws of war and so on,” Dennis Blair, a former director of US National Intelligence, was quoted as having said by media reports.

Blair, a retired admiral said, instead US should offer Pakistan cooperation in establishing law and order in country’s restive tribal areas and offer to let go the unilateral drones in exchange for a “combined” effort against militancy with the imposition of regular Pakistani laws.“ The excessive use of US drones in Pakistan and over-reliance on the controversial campaign was a myopic way of dealing with a long-term problem. We should strive for a long term strategy to contain the threat in northwest Pakistan.”

Comparing the drones to long-range snipers, Blair said drones should be used like other weapons under normal laws of war.

Pakistan FM takes drone issue with US envoy

Meanwhile, Pakistan newspaper, the Nation reported that country’s Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has strongly taken up drone issue with US envoy to Pakistan Richard Olson.

“She has conveyed sentiments of the Pakistani nation over illegal ‘drone’ strikes. She told the envoy that Pakistan was upset over lack of US response on country’s efforts seeking to find alternate means to target high profile targets instead of drones which Islamabad believes were not only illegal but counter-productive,” the newspaper reported quoting sources.

It further quoted Khar as saying that Pakistan cannot remain oblivious to the drone attacks as they were in total violation of country’s territorial sovereignty and do cause collateral damage that undermines efforts fighting menace of terrorism in the region.

Pakistan and the US have been at odds for quite long over the issue of CIA operated drones to target high profile militants targets with Islamabad pressing Washington for using alternate means while US insists drones were best weapon of choice available to tackle the challenge.

Pakistan has been saying that use of drones by US is breeding extremism in the country.

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Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News