Foreign Office summons US Envoy,hands over protest note against Drone attack

Lahore: May be a very few people could remember that Pakistan has ever summoned US Ambassador David Hale at Foreign Office to lodge protest in any case. But Today,PM Nawaz Sharif’s government has written a history by calling US envoy at foreign office over recent Drone Attack in which Taliban Supreme Leader Mullah Mansoor Akhtar claimed to shot down.

Earlier; Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan strongly protested over a reported US drone attack near Pak-Afghan border which had violated its sovereignty.

Responding to media queries after his arrival here in connection with his medical check-up, the Prime Minister said it was not yet confirmed that Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, a Taliban leader, was killed in the United States drone attack.

A person identified as Muhammad Wali, resident of Qilla Abdullah, was killed in the attack, he added.

US Secretary of State John Kerry, he said, phoned him last night and the US commander also talked to the Chief of Army Staff after the attack took place. He said,”We strongly protest over such attack which happened after many years and is a violation of our sovereignty. It should not have taken place,” he added.

To a question regarding Panama Papers leaks, the Prime Minister replied that those, who had been crying their voices hoarse, were exposed before the public.”Where remains the morality and the moral grounds as those levelling allegations have been exposed before the people,” he said,advising his critics to sweep before their own doors prior to targeting others with false statements.

He said their critics miserably failed to establish any kind of lack of transparency during their previous tenures in power during 1980s and 90s. He said he had explained his position before the National Assembly. Numerous details which he intended to place before the proposed Commission were shared with the House, he said.

The Prime Minister said details about the proceeds, they got from the sale of Dubai or Jeddah factories, were laid bare before the House. The London flats were purchased from those proceeds, he added.

He said under the nationalization drive, they were deprived of their assets by the then regime and were left with empty pockets.

Under such conditions from where arose the question of taking the money outside Pakistan! he added.

He said Pervez Musharraf had sealed everything after take-over and sent them on forced exile.

Expressing his wonder, he maintained that on one hand, they were maltreated and on the other, they were asked for accountability.

The Prime Minister said they wanted the National Assembly committee to probe also those persons who got their loans written off on the political basis and those who took kickbacks or commissions.Such elements had deprived the toiling masses of their hard earned money and swelled their pelf and assets in the forms of industries, he added.

Brushing aside rumours, the Prime Minister said he arrived in London for his health review and would return to the country shortly.

To another question, he said during his public gatherings, he was talking about the pace of development and the uplift projects.

The country was fast heading on the path of development with completion of mega infrastructure, power, energy and CPEC projects which would get spur in the next couple of years, he added.”I have witnessed the enthusiasm of the people of Swat during my recent visit. The provincial government or those who rallied for ‘naya Pakistan’ should also realize the public opinion about their performance,” he said.

The Prime Minister also invited the expatriate Pakistanis to invest in Pakistan as it had become the ideal destination where the industries were getting 100 per cent power and gas supply. He said the issue of power load shedding would end completely very soon.

“The expatriates should avail of the existing investment opportunities in Pakistan,” he added.