Pakistan: Suspected US missile strike reported

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan � Suspected U.S. missiles struck a
militant-linked religious school in Pakistan's northwest and killed
five people Thursday, intelligence officials said.
The
strike happened hours after parliament warned against "incursions" on
Pakistani soil in a resolution that also called for reviewing the national security strategy and making dialogue with certain militants the highest priority.
Four intelligence officials said the missiles had hit the school on the outskirts of Miran Shah, the main town in the militant-infested North Waziristan region. Relying on informants and agents in the area, two said that at least five people were killed and two wounded.
The
U.S. is suspected in a barrage of recent missile strikes on militant
hideouts in Pakistan's northwest. The attacks signal Washington's
impatience with Pakistan's efforts to root out militants allegedly
involved in attacks on U.S. forces across the border in Afghanistan.
The religious school belonged to a local pro-Taliban cleric, the intelligence officials said. The cleric has been linked to veteran Taliban commander Jalaluddin Haqqani, considered a top foe of the United States, they said.
The
intelligence officials gave the information based on condition of
anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to media.
The
crossborder missile attacks have spurred frustration among Pakistani
lawmakers, and the pro-U.S. government has protested them as violations
of the country's sovereignty all while seeking to build a national
consensus on fighting the war on terror.
Late Wednesday, Pakistan's
parliament called for a review of the nation's security strategy and
talks with militants who meet certain conditions, but it stopped short
of demanding a halt in anti-insurgent Pakistani military operations.
The 14-point resolution was adopted during an unusual, closed-door, joint session of Parliament called by the fledgling civilian government.
The
resolution struck a careful, nuanced tone that appeared aimed at
pleasing a range of lawmakers, in particular the opposition, and even
to some extent the U.S., making it difficult to gauge what impact it
will have. Lawmakers hailed it as a sign of deepening democracy in Pakistan, which is still emerging from some eight years of military rule.
"This
is a historic moment for the country as the nation's representatives
unanimously adopted a resolution," Information Minister Sherry Rehman said. "This will definitely help to improve the situation and to rid the country of the menace of terrorism."
The
resolution calls for an "independent foreign policy," a sign of
wariness of American influence. But it also states Pakistan will not
let its soil be used for terrorist attacks elsewhere � an apparent nod
to U.S. complaints about militants hiding in northwest Pakistan.
The
resolution alludes to the U.S. missile attacks, stating that Pakistan
"stands united against any incursions and invasions of the homeland,
and calls upon the government to deal with it effectively."
While
saying dialogue "must now be the highest priority," it stipulates that
talks should be pursued with those "elements" willing to follow the
constitution and the "rule of law."
The resolution does not call for a halt to military operations against insurgents.
But it does say the state should re-establish authority in troubled zones, while using traditional mechanisms such as tribal councils to help bring peace. The military can then be "replaced" by civilian law enforcement agencies and "a sustainable political system," it says.
The Pakistani army is engaged in two major offensives in the northwest � one in the Swat Valley and one in the Bajur tribal area. The latter has killed more than 1,000
militants, officials say. The U.S. has praised the crackdowns while
warning that peace deals simply let militants regroup.
Military
efforts have failed to stem suicide and other militant attacks within
Pakistan, violence that has further fed anger at the U.S. in this
nuclear-armed nation.