Nawaz Sharif rejects ‘tough stance’ against U.S. post Mehsud’s death in drone strike

Islamabad – Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has reportedly rejected suggestions of his cabinet members to take a tough stance against the United States for its deliberate attempt to sabotage peace efforts with the Taliban.

During the emergency cabinet meeting last week, Nawaz said that while his government has strongly reacted against the CIA drone attacks on Pakistan’s soil, it did not mean that its entire relationship with the U.S. should be strained by one incident, referring to Mehsud’s death in latest drone strike last Friday, the Express Tribune reports.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had earlier insisted on reviewing cooperation with the U.S. following the death of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Hakimullah Mehsud in a drone strike last Friday.

According to the report, the Cabinet Committee meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) was not convened as Nawaz adopted a more ‘pragmatic approach’ in view of the evolving situation.

Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has been urging the government for blocking supply lines for US-led Nato forces in Afghanistan.