Pakistan army terms NATO incursion deliberate

Pakistan army terms NATO incursion deliberate

Pakistan Army has termed the NATO/ISAF attack on Pakistani military check-posts pre-planned and deliberate, saying that the coalition forces intentionally intruded in the country and attacked two military border points, which led the martyrdom of 24 troops.

Briefing the Senate Standing Committee on Defence, Director General Military Operations (DGMO), Maj. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem, said the coalition forces had deliberately attacked the Pakistani military posts in Salala. He added that Pakistan’s Coordination Centre
was also misled about the strike.

“Pakistan was told the attack occurred in the area of Gora Paraya, located some 15 kilometres north of Salala. However, the actual strike carried out on Salala check post,” the DG MO said. He further informed that the coalition forces targeted each bunker
of these posts.

He continued that NATO’s helicopters started firing despite flag was hosted on the check-posts and all the soldiers were in the military uniform.

At the time of the first attack, a three-star general at the US embassy in Islamabad and ISAF Control Centre in Afghanistan were informed, however, he added, the strikes halted for a moment and resumed again.

The DG MO maintained that when the Company Commander rushed to the check post, he witnessed that NATO helicopters had returned and kept the firing assault on until the two check posts were destroyed.

“The bunkers were specifically targeted and destroyed,” Maj. Gen. Ashfaq Nadeem told the Senate body. In his view the terrorists always hide in ditches and cracks and they never come on the mountain peaks.

“All evidences say the attack was pre-planned and it was launched intentionally,” he said.  “Now Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, has given army freehand to take a full-scale retaliation against NATO in case of such irresponsible action
befittingly in the Eastern borders of the country,” he categorically said.

The military official also presented its recommendations saying that the government solely will take decision about resuming the NATO oil supplies. He stated that the oil supplies should be resumed after a written agreement on certain conditions.

He believes that the attack was only helpful for the Taliban and terrorists, who tried to cross the border in Mohmand Agency, and launch attacks against both the countries.

The DG MO said that it was puzzling that whether the drone attacks in Afghanistan were the acts of Special Forces or ISAF. “ISAF never accepted the responsibility of drones,” he held. 

The committee was informed that the Pak Army was still in contact with ISAF, but not frequently after the attack.

The parliamentary panel suggested the government to review its relationships with US and assistance to the NATO forces. The committee also stressed to make a written agreement for NATO supply line with conditions in favours of Pakistan.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=5754

Posted by Faisal Farooq on Dec 8 2011. Filed under Latest News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry