Pakistan Army on Tuesday denied having carried out drone strikes in the militancy-infected north-western tribal region last month.

The denial came in response to a news report suggesting Pakistan’s direct involvement in a couple of drone attacks that had taken place in North and South Waziristan on February 6 and February 8. Headlined “US Disavows 2 Drone Strikes Over Pakistan,” the story was printed on Tuesday by The New York Times.“Such an accusation is distortion of the facts and seems to be aimed at diluting Pakistan’s stance on drone strikes,” a brief official statement quoted an ISPR spokesman as saying.

The spokesman denied Pakistan’s security forces carried out “any operation, including air strikes, in the area on dates mentioned in the news report.”Talking to this correspondent, Dr Hassan Askari Rizvi said the drones technology Pakistan’s armed forces have acquired is for reconnaissance only. “Only a few Western countries including the United States have the drone technology to launch surgical strikes.

According to my information, the US or any other state has not transferred this kind of technology to Pakistan. And if they really have, this is a big news.”Air Commodore (r) Ali Raza, another defence expert, said the PAF and Army have five to six types of drones, primarily inducted for tactical reconnaissance and surveillance. “These drones include Buraq, Jasoos and Falco.”

All of them are used for surveillance and tactical reconnaissance. I don’t think there would be any evidence to suggest that Pakistan had other types of drones that can strike, commonly known as target drones, he said, adding Pakistan Navy also had surveillance drones.

“It’s very difficult to determine the exact number of these drones but it can be safely said that Pakistan has five to six kind of surveillance drones that have been inducted in the armed forces strategic fleets in recent years.”