London, Feb. 18 : The unmanned Predator aircrafts which have been targeting militant hideouts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border are being operated from an airbase in southern Pakistan, a Times report has revealed.

"Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is secretly using an airbase in southern Pakistan to launch the Predator drones that observe and attack al-Qaeda and Taleban militants on the Pakistani side of the border with Afghanistan," the Times said.

The revelation is in complete contrast with Islamabad's claims that it had never allowed its airbases to be used by the US led forces.

Disclosing the details of the airbase, the report said that the CIA has been using the Shamsi airfield, which is about 30 miles from the Afghanistan border, for at least a year now.

Last week, Chairperson of the US Senate Intelligence Committee, Dianne Feinstein had also said that CIA's unmanned aircrafts were being operated from an airbase inside Pakistan. However, the Obama administration later backtracked from its stance.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had refuted the charge categorically.

Qureshi also denied any secret agreement between Islamabad and Washington on the drone attacks. (ANI)