Apologise for aerial attacks, Pakistan tells NATO

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has demanded an apology from NATO over an aerial attack that killed three of its troopers, but the coalition forces are only prepared to express regret over the incident that led to Islamabad blocking a key supply route to Afghanistan.

A joint investigation team of the Pakistani military and the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has completed its initial investigation into aerial incursions by helicopters into Kurram Agency.

Dawn reported Wednesday that the statement on the probe couldn’t be released Tuesday as both sides were debating the phraseology.

Three Pakistani troops were killed Thursday when NATO helicopters entered the country’s airspace and fired at a military outpost along the Afghan border.

The media report quoted ISAF sources as saying that initial findings had been completed, but the wording of the statement was being negotiated. The coalition force had provide the Pakistan Army a draft of the statement and the army responded by giving its own version to ISAF.

There was, however, an agreement that Pakistan’s airspace had been violated, another source said.

ISAF is keen to call the violation an act in self-defence while Pakistanis want the coalition force to acknowledge that the event was avoidable.

Pakistani military wants NATO to accept responsibility for the incident and agree on remedial measures through better coordination.

Islamabad is insistent that ISAF should apologise for the incident, but the coalition forces are only ready to express regrets and offer condolences to the families of the troopers killed in the strike.