Pakistan Summons US Envoy Over NATO Strikes

Islamabad, Nov 27 , IRNA – Pakistan Saturday summoned the US ambassador to the Foreign Ministry and lodged a formal protest with him over the NATO helicopters’ strike on border posts, which killed 28 soldiers, the Foreign Ministry said. “On instructions from Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Foreign Secretary today called in US Ambassador Cameron Munter to lodge a strong protest on the unprovoked NATO/ISAF attack on Pakistan border posts in the Mohmand Agency,” a Foreign Ministry statement said. The Foreign Secretary conveyed to the US Ambassador that the unprovoked attack by NATO/ISAF aircrafts on border posts in which 28 Pakistani troops lost their lives and another 15 were injured had deeply incensed the Government and the people of Pakistan, it said. “The President, the Prime Minister and the Government of Pakistan strongly condemn the attacks which were totally unacceptable, constituted a grave infringement of Pakistan’s sovereignty, were violative of international law and a serious transgression of the oft conveyed red lines and could have serious repercussions on Pakistan-US/NATO/ISAF cooperation”. The statement said the Ambassador was informed that the Prime Minister had convened an emergency meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet to evaluate the situation arising from these uncalled for attacks by NATO/ISAF forces. “Strong protest has also been lodged in Washington and at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels,” the statement said. Earlier the U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter ‘expressed regret’ over the killing of Pakistani security personnel in strikes by NATO helicopters in the county’s border region, the American embassy said. 'I have seen press accounts of an incident on the Pakistani-Afghan border in which Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed. I regret the loss of life of any Pakistani servicemen, and pledge that the United States will work closely with Pakistan to investigate this incident,' ambassador Munter said in a statement. Pakistan Army Chief Saturday condemned NATO/ISAF strikes as ‘blatant and unacceptable act’ resulting in loss of precious lives of Pakistani soldiers’, an army statement said. “While lauding the effective response by the soldiers of Pakistan Army in self defence, he directed that all necessary steps be under taken for an effective response to this irresponsible act,” General Kayani said. Giving details of the incident, the army statement said that on the night of 25/26 November NATO helicopters and fighter aircraft carried out unprovoked firing on two Pakistan Army border posts in Mohmand Agency as a result of which 28 troops were killed and 15 were injured. “Pakistani troops effectively responded immediately in self defence to NATO/ISAF’s aggression with all available weapons,” the statement said. /end