Giving in to its long standing demand, the United States has agreed to share drone technology and provide at least a dozen unmanned aerial vehicles to Pakistan.
During his visit to Pakistan, United States Defence Secretary Robert Gates said that Washington is planning to provide some unarmed spy drones to Islamabad to encourage it to fight against militants on the Afghanistan border and do more in the region.
"There are some tactical UAVs that we are considering, yes," Gates said while replying to a question during a television interview.
Gates, who is on a two-day visit to Pakistan, had attracted flak from the Pakistani leadership when, during his recent India visit, he had said that New Delhi might lose its patience if another 26/11-like attack takes place.
While opposing the continuous drone attacks in the lawless tribal region along the Afghanistan border, Pakistan has been vigorously demanding the drone technology to strike militant hideouts itself.
However, the Obama administration has been reluctant to provide the 'armed' drone technology to Islamabad.
The shadow surveillance drone appears to be a compromise aimed at appeasing Pakistan and helping the country's political leadership explain the drone strikes to a deeply suspicious and anti-American public, The New York Times reports.
Gates' latest offer is being seen as a positive step that will help reduce the humiliation faced by the Pakistani leadership.
"It will have a very positive political impact. It will reduce the embarrassment of the political leadership," said Talat Masood, a retired army general.
American defence officials said that the drones would be of use in Pakistan's tribal areas and would be restricted to defensive rather than offensive operations, but are concerned that Pakistan might use the drones against India.
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