UN report says there's 'strong evidence' Pakistan military approved US drone strikes

A recently released UN report suggests there is "strong evidence" that top Pakistani military and intelligence officials approved US drone strikes on Pakistan during 2004 and 2008.

The report said that in some cases, even senior government figures gave their approval to the strikes in the country's militancy-hit tribal areas.

The report by Ben Emmerson, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and counter-terrorism, said that between 2004 and June 2008 remotely piloted aircraft strikes in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas were conducted with the active consent and approval of senior members of the Pakistani military and intelligence service.

According to Dawn News, the report, however, does not elaborate on the details of the evidence collected.

Islamabad officially condemns US drone attacks as a violation of its sovereignty and counter-productive in the fight against terrorism and militancy, the report said.

In April this year, former military dictator Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf admitted in an interview to CNN that his government had given approval "only on very few occasions," it added.