U.S. drone strikes unpopular in Pakistan

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PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Jan. 3 (UPI) -- U.S. drone strikes in northwestern Pakistan are raising political concerns throughout the country.

The North Waziristan chapter of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl has become the latest political group to speak out against the cross-border aerial attacks by U.S. unmanned aerial vehicles, The News Online reported Monday.

JUI-F leaders told reporters at a news conference in Peshawar, "The people of Waziristan were given the gift of corpses on the New Year when the world was celebrating the day by illuminating their houses and arranging festivals."

JUI-F North Waziristan General Secretary Ahmad Saeed and former National Assembly of Pakistan member and JUI-F patron in chief for Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas Nek Zaman said that more than 800 innocent people had been killed in the drone attacks while there was no objective proof that the strikes targeted any high profile al-Qaida members.

Zaman told the crowd, "Those claiming to be a part of the civilized world and human rights organizations should take note of the gross violation of human rights and killing of innocent women, children and elderly and raise their voices for an immediate halt to the drone attacks."