The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has declared the US drone strikes within Pakistani territory illegal and has ordered the government to contact the International War Crime Tribunal (IWCT) regarding the issue.
A two-member PHC bench – headed by Chief Justice Dost Muhammad heard the case against the CIA-led drone strike in Pakistan.
Justice Muhammad said drone attacks should be declared equivalent to war crimes.
He said the attacks were violation of basic human rights and against the United Nations Charter.
The PHC directed the government to take measures to stop drone strikes which it said were violating Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
On the other hand, the government was of the view that the CIA drone campaign fueled anti-American sentiment in the country, and was counterproductive because of the collateral damage civilian deaths it causes.
US officials said such strikes by the remotely piloted aircraft were a highly effective way of attacking militants and were an important weapon in the war against militancy. They said the attacks were in accordance with US laws.