NATO-led ISAF apologises to Pak over cross-border helicopter attack
By ANIMonday, October 4, 2010
ISLAMABAD - The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan has reportedly apologised to Pakistan over last Thursday’s cross-border helicopter attack, which allegedly killed three soldiers and injured three others.
A two-member Pakistan team, led by Deputy Inspector General of the Frontier Corps Brigadier Usman Khattak, is currently in Afghanistan to conduct a joint investigation into the attacks, The Nation reports.
The team, before leaving for Afghanistan, had visited the site and exchanged views with the troops deployed there.
Earlier, reacting to the intrusions into its territory, Pakistan had formally lodged a protest with a senior official at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.
“Pakistan’s Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani met NATO Deputy Secretary General in Brussels to lodge protest over the border violations by the ISAF helicopters,” a statement had said.
Condemning such incidents, which negated the spirit of cooperation between Pakistan and NATO, Jilani had asked NATO to conduct an immediate and full enquiry into the serious incidents.
Pakistan had also closed down a key supply route for US-led forces in Afghanistan in retaliation against the air strikes.
In separate meetings with CIA Director Leon Panetta, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani conveyed to the United States that any violation of its sovereignty was unacceptable to Pakistan. (ANI)
