11:10 PM,Oct 22,2010 Rezaul H Laskar Islamabad, Oct 22 Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today for the first time said that former military ruler Pervez Musharraf approved the controversial surveillance flights by US drones which later started targeting terrorists in the country's lawless tribal areas bordering Afghanistan.During an interaction with the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Pakistan, Gilani indicated that the permission to operate drones inside Pakistan was given by the previous regime of President Pervez Musharraf.The permission had been given ``much earlier'' for reconnaissance and surveillance flights by spy planes and ``it was never given'' for attacks, he said when asked why Pakistan is not seeking an apology for US drone attacks in its volatile tribal belt bordering Afghanistan.Gilani also denied reports that US drones were operating from an airbase at Jacobabad in Sindh province.He reiterated his stance that drone attacks are counter-productive as they undo the work done by his government and the army to separate tribesmen from the Taliban fighters.The drone attacks unite the tribesmen and militants, he said.Earlier, Musharraf, who is currently living in self-imposed exile in London, condemned the surge in US drone strikes late last month.
Musharraf approved surveillance flights by US drones: