Musharraf says he okayed US drone surveillance

Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has admitted that he allowed the United States to carry out drone surveillance inside the country when he was in power, but had not permitted them to launch the controversial missile strikes to take out militants.

"Yes indeed, we wanted intelligence, we wanted them (the US) to locate targets," the former general told Express 24/7, a Pakistani-based news channel.

He said that there was only a 'general kind of carpet agreement' with the US and surveillance was allowed on a 'case to case basis.' However, according to the understanding between the US and Pakistan, the method of striking militant hideouts was left to Islamabad.

"Once we located the targets, we would decide on the method of striking either by helicopter gunship, or commando heliborne force or some other way. But that was a decision which was left to us," Musharraf claimed.

He insisted that his government never gave permission for drone strikes.

The US has stepped up its covert drone attacks in Pakistan over the last few months with strikes in the unruly tribal belt, taking place with increasing frequency.

More than 250 people have been killed in 47 drone strikes since September 3, heightening tensions in US-Pakistan ties.