Pak summons U.S. envoy over drone strike

Pakistani tribal members, from left, Karim Khan, Jalal Sarhadi and Mohammad Nazir arrive to address a news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan on Thursday, June 6, 2013. Family members of U.S. drone attacks' victims demanded of newly elected Pakistani government to implement a court order that they claimed had wanted the state to end the strikes and shoot down the American unmanned aerial vehicles attacking hideouts of militants in Pakistani tribal areas. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

Just days after taking power, Pakistan’s new government has lodged a protest with the U.S. and summoned a top American envoy to vent its frustration following a U.S. drone strike that intelligence officials say killed seven militants.

Friday night’s drone strike near the Afghan border came just two days after Nawaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister. Mr Sharif has insisted the U.S. stop such attacks, saying they violate Pakistan’s sovereignty

The protest lodged Saturday indicates Mr Sharif will at least publicly take a tougher line on the matter than the preceding government. That government routinely condemned such strikes but was believed to have secretly supported at least some of them.

A government statement says U.S. charge d’affaires Richard Hoagland was summoned to the Foreign Office on Mr Sharif’s instructions.

Published - June 08, 2013 05:09 pm IST