UNITED NATIONS, Sept 23: The Peshawar blasts not only killed 83 Christians but may also have affected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s plan to raise US drone strikes during the UN General Assembly, diplomats say.

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad told journalists last week that the prime minister is likely to raise this issue during the 68th session of the UN General Assembly scheduled from Sept 23 to Sept 29.

The issue is already being discussed at other international platforms and a London-based media forum -- the Bureau of Investigative Journalism -- announced on Monday that it was recording the names and numbers of people killed in US drone strikes in Pakistan.

Pakistan claims that the drones, meant for terrorists hiding in Fata, also have killed a large number of civilians. The United States denies the charge, arguing that the drones are highly accurate and only a few civilians have died in those attacks.

Diplomats familiar with this issue say that Mr Sharif might have found some support in the world body for his position on the drones had Sunday’s terrorist attacks in Peshawar not happened.

“Things have changed overnight,” said a senior diplomat, pointing out that after the blasts “people around the world would be more interested in hitting back {at} the Taliban than saving them from US drones.”

Attacks like this, he argued, “also diminish whatever sympathy may have existed for the civilians victims trapped in the crossfire between the Taliban and the US drones.”

Diplomatic sources at the United Nations say that while the prime minister may still raise the issue but “now it may just get a brief mention” in his address to the General Assembly on Sept 27.

Last week, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, Ambassador Masood Khan, raised the issue inside the Security Council, calling for the cessation of these air strikes and seeking “urgent” talks to resolve the problem.

SARTAJ AZIZ: And hours before the Peshawar blasts, Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Aziz told reporters that Pakistan would raise the drone issue at various UN forums.

Mr Aziz said Pakistan’s policy was clear that such strikes were “counter-productive” as they cause large numbers of civilian deaths and generate hatred among people.

Pakistan had conveyed its serious concern to the United States over its drone programme, urging it to stop the strikes, he said.

“Drone strikes infringe Pakistan’s sovereignty and violate international law,” Mr Aziz added.

The Sharif government faces tremendous pressure from the PTI and other political groups on this issue and on opening a dialogue with the militants.

Earlier this month, an all-party conference not only authorised the prime minister to engage the Taliban but also asked him to raise the drone issue at the United Nations.

“The federal government should consider the possibility of taking the drone issue to the United Nation as drone attacks are a violation of International Law,” the resolution said.