NATO helicopters violate Pak airspace yet again despite formal apology

LAHORE - Despite assuring Pakistan of stopping further intrusions into its territory, NATO aircraft once again breached the country’s airspace close to the Afghan border.

According to the Daily Times, NATO helicopters violated Pakistan’s border limits in the areas of Burkha and Kharlacha of the Kurram Agency.

The helicopters entered about 600 meters inside Pakistani airspace, and after flying in the area for 10 minutes they returned back to Spin Boldak area in Afghanistan to their airbase.

Earlier, last month, three Pakistani army men were killed in an air strike by NATO helicopters at a military post, 200 metres inside the Pakistani border in Kurram Agency.

It was NATO’s fourth aerial violation of Pakistani territory in less than a week, but the first in which soldiers were killed.

Reacting to the incident, Pakistan had suspended supply convoys along the Khyber Pass route, which links Peshawar in Pakistan with Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan, and lodged a protest with the NATO command in Brussels, demanding an apology.

The cross-border air strikes, seen by Pakistan as a violation of its territorial sovereignty, had sparked nationwide rumblings over the US-led incursions. (ANI)