Pakistan has strongly condemned a US drone strike that killed at least 17 people and wounded many others in North Waziristan's Miranshah bordering Afghanistan.



In a press release on Wednesday, the Pakistan foreign ministry said the strikes were a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The statement described the attacks as "counterproductive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives and have human rights and humanitarian implications".



"Pakistan has repeatedly emphasized the importance of bringing an immediate end to drone strikes," it said.

Unmanned US aircraft fired four missiles at a house in Pakistan's restive northwest region before dawn on Wednesday killing suspected fighters of the Haqqani network, according to Taliban commanders and security officials.

US officials consider the Haqqani network to be one of the most dangerous factions fighting American troops in neighbouring Afghanistan.

Stance on drone attacks

It is the biggest such attack this year, and the second since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif took office in June.

Sharif has pledged a harder stance on the US regarding drone attacks though it is yet unclear how his administration would be able to force a termination of the programme.

The country has seen rising protests against the drone programme that has resulted into the killing of many innocent civilians, including women and children.

Elsewhere in northwest Pakistan, fighters attacked a police post on Wednesday and killed six policemen, said a local government administrator, Habibullah Khan.



Ten policemen were wounded in the attack about 25km southeast of the city of Peshawar, said another government official.

The post was staffed by both paramilitary police from the Frontier Constabulary force and also by tribal policemen.



Khan said policemen retaliated in a gunbattle that lasted several hours and killed several fighters.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attack.