A Pakistani parliamentary committee — tasked with laying out new terms of engagement with the United States and NATO — has demanded an end to U.S. drone strikes and an apology from Washington for a cross-border NATO strike last year that mistakenly killed 24 Pakistani troops.

Committee chairman Mian Raza Rabbani read the report Tuesday to a joint session of both houses of parliament. The document urges the United States to review its activities and cease all drone attacks inside Pakistan.

Rabbani said that “drone strikes are counterproductive, cause loss of valuable lives and property, radicalize the local population, create support for terrorists and fuel anti-American sentiments.”

Pakistani officials condemn the drone strikes as a violation of the country's sovereignty. But they are believed to be carried out with the implicit permission of Pakistan's army.

While Washington seeks to repair its relationship with Islamabad, it also sees the drone strikes as a crucial part of its fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban.

Rabbani also demanded an unconditional U.S. apology for the NATO airstrike in November that killed the 24 Pakistani soldiers. He said “the condemnable and unprovoked NATO/ISAF attack” represents “a breach of international law and constitutes a blatant violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

Washington has expressed regret for the loss of life and accepted partial responsibility for the airstrike, but has so far refused to apologize, saying NATO forces acted in self-defense.

Pakistani lawmakers are expected to eventually approve the panel's recommendations. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland Tuesday said she would not comment on the issue until the process is completed.

Islamabad had responded to the deadly strike by ordering U.S. forces out of a U.S. airbase and shutting down NATO supply lines to landlocked Afghanistan. The committee said Tuesday their re-opening must be subject to strict monitoring, adding that shipments may be subject to new taxes and charges.

The November incident deeply damaged U.S.-Pakistani relations, which had already been frayed by the covert U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden in northern Pakistan last May.

Responding to the debate inside Pakistan over the issue, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham, who sits on the Armed Services Committee, tells VOA that ending drone strikes in Pakistan would not only hurt the United States militarily, but would damage Pakistan's own national security. He said the drone strikes “have really punished the enemy” in havens inside Pakistan.

Pakistani lawmakers are expected to eventually approve the panel's recommendations. But, ultimately, Pakistan's government and powerful army have the final say in the U.S.-Pakistani relationship.

Speaking to reporters outside of parliament, Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan needs to balance good diplomatic relations with its own interests.