PHC serves notice to Musharraf for allowing drone attacks

A Pakistani court today issued a notice to former President Gen (Retd) Pervez Musharraf for allowing US drone attacks in country even as a fresh strike by the CIA-operated spy plane killed at least five in the restive North Waziristan.

A two-member bench comprising Peshawar High Court's acting Chief Justice Maftahuddin Khan and Justice Seth Waqar hearing a petition by advocate F M Sabir served notice on Musharraf to appear before the court on next hearing to explain his position.

Advocate Sabir of Difa-i-Pakistan Council (DPC), whose key leader include LeT founder Hafiz Saeed, and Foundation for Fundamental Rights (FFR) had filed a writ petition against the drone attacks in FATA and the killing of "innocent" people including women and children in these attacks, the Dawn News reported.

Meanwhile, at least five people were killed today when a US drone targeted a suspected militant compound about 10 kilometres from the main town in volatile North Waziristan region.

The US drone fired three missiles in Tappi village, about 10 kilometres southeast of Miramshah, on a compound which officials said was a militant facility.

Two missiles hit the house and one struck a vehicle resulting in the death of four suspected militants. A woman was also killed in the strike, the officials added.

The identity of those killed in this strike could not be ascertained from independent sources, however media reports said the targeted compound was a suspected militant hideout.

The al Qaeda-linked Haqqani network in North Waziristan, blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in Afghanistan, is one of the thorniest issues between Islamabad and Washington.

The attacks by unmanned US aircraft remain contentious with Pakistan saying it violates its sovereignty and fan anti-US sentiment, and American officials believing the strikes to be too important to be given up.

During the US Presidential debate yesterday, President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney supported the drone strikes to kill terrorists.