By Our Staff Reporter

ISLAMABAD, Sept 15: Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira defended on Wednesday government’s silence over drone attacks by saying that “Pakistan does not have the capacity to deal with terrorism on its own and it expected the international community to come forward and support in these efforts”.

“Capacity issue is certainly there. Pakistani security apparatus alone cannot fight out the menace of terrorism and needs world support,” Mr Kaira said at a press conference.

He was asked why did the government, which has been terming drone attacks ‘counter-productive’, continue to maintain silence over frequent drone attacks which “killed more innocent people than militants”.

However, he said, the government had expressed concern over the killing of innocent people in drone attacks and the Foreign Office had also issued statements against such strikes. COMPENSATION: Mr Kaira said the payment of Rs20,000 in preliminary grant to every flood-affected family had already started in Punjab and Sindh and so far 7,500 families had been given compensation. The process, he said, would be completed in 40 to 45 days.