Different assessments made about drone casualties: Pakistan

Against the backdrop of a huge discrepancy in the number of civilian deaths in US drone attacks, Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Office today said authorities including the Defence Ministry had made "different assessments".
Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry said, "There are different assessments about the numbers. We are in touch with the Ministry of Defence to get full details."
Pakistan's position on the drone strikes has been very clear, he told a weekly news briefing. "The government has already evolved a national consensus on this matter and is pursuing a strategy whereby this matter is being taken up with the US bilaterally as well as being raised at international forums," he said.

The Defence Ministry surprised many people yesterday by informing the Senate or upper house of parliament that only 67 civilians had died in drone strikes since 2008 as compared to 2,160 militants.
Official data also said no civilians were targeted by drones since January 2012.
These figures were in stark contrast to those given by Ben Emmerson, a UN expert investigating drone strikes. He said earlier this month the Foreign Office told him that 400 civilians were killed since the drone attacks began in 2004.

"If the true figures for civilian deaths are significantly lower, then it is important that this should now be made clear and the apparent discrepancy explained," Emmerson was quoted as saying by the media.

Rights groups have claimed there have been high civilian casualties in the drone strikes. Amnesty International recently said some attacks were tantamount to war crimes.
Moreover, the official data negates claims by political and religious parties that the drone strikes have mostly killed civilians, including women and children.
The CIA's drone campaign is an emotional issue in Pakistan. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif raised the issue with US President Barack Obama during their meeting on October 23.
However, the US says the strikes are precision attacks that have killed many top militants and terrorists.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Office condemned a US drone strike that killed three suspected militants in North Waziristan early today.

"These strikes are a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. There is an across the board consensus in Pakistan that these drone strikes must end," it said in a statement.