Pakistan struggling in bid to develop its own drones

Pakistan is secretly racing to develop its own armed drones, frustrated with US refusals to provide the aircraft, but is struggling in its initial tests with a lack of precision munitions and advanced targeting technology.

One of Islamabad's closest allies and Washington's biggest rivals, China, has offered to help by selling Pakistan armed drones it developed. But industry experts say there is still uncertainty about the capabilities of the Chinese aircraft.

The development of unmanned combat aircraft is especially sensitive in Pakistan because of the widespread unpopularity of the hundreds of US drone strikes against Taliban and al-Qa'ida militants in the country's rugged tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

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