Afghanistan's Accusation Of Pakistan Letting US Drones Use Its Airspace Is 'Regrettable': FO

Afghanistan's Accusation Of Pakistan Letting US Drones Use Its Airspace Is 'Regrettable': FO
Pakistan has termed the allegation by Acting Defence Minister of Afghanistan regarding use of Pakistan’s air space in the recent US counter-terrorism drone operation targeting Zawahiri as 'highly regrettable'.

A statement by the Foreign Office Spokesperson on Sunday said that Pakistan has noted, with deep concern, the accusations made the Acting Defence Minister of Afghanistan regarding Pakistan allowing the US to use its airspace to conduct its drone operation.

The spokesperson said that in the absence of any evidence, as acknowledged by the Afghan Minister himself, such allegations are 'highly regrettable' and defy the norms of responsible diplomatic conduct.

The statement further said that Pakistan is a firm believer in the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, and condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.

The spokesperson then reminded the Afghan interim authorities of the international commitments made by Afghanistan to not to allow the use of its territory for terrorism against any country, and urged authorities to uphold those commitments.

Previously on August 2, United States President Joe Biden announced that a precision drone-attack by the US in downtown Kabul had killed Al-Qaeda Chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who had helped orchestrate the September 11 attacks.

Al-Zawahiri was an Egyptian surgeon and had a $25 million bounty on his head for his role in the September 11, 2001 attacks in New York that led to the death of nearly 3,000 people.