The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, has clarified that Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are essentially flying cameras for informational purposes and should be used within the ambit of international law.
Ban said that the use of armed drones like any other weapon should be subjected to long-standing international humanitarian law, the Dawn reports.
The statement comes after the Pakistan government briefed the UN chief about the collateral damage done by the U.S. drone strikes in the tribal regions of the country.
A foreign ministry official had stated that nearly 3,500 people, including hundreds of civilians, have been killed in drone attacks since 2004 in Pakistan.
The UN chief further said that CIA-operated drone campaigns must make every effort to avoid civilian casualties in the region.
Ban clarified that the drones should be used only for gathering information in accordance with the international laws.