KHI 27 11 2011_Layout 1 11/27/2011 2:27 AM Page 1
rs22.00 Vol ii no 151 27 pages karachi — edition
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pakistantoday.com.pk
sunday, 27 november, 2011 muharram-ul-haram 1, 1432
DCC orders blockade of all supply lines for NATO goods Asks US to vacate Shamsi Airbase within 15 days Govt to review all cooperative arrangements Kayani, Wyne attend meeting in commando dress PM takes all political leaders on board President says attack ‘totally unacceptable’ ISLAMABAD
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Tahir Niaz
eACTING strongly to Saturday’s NATO attack on a military checkpost in Mohmand Agency in which 26 troops were killed and 14 were left injured, the government finally put its foot down, telling the United States that “enough is enough”, immediately blocked the supply line for all NATO goods headed for Afghanistan and asked the Washington-backed International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to vacate the Shamsi airbase within 15 days. This decision was taken at a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) chaired by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (JCSC) Chairman General Khalid Shamim Wyne attended the meeting in commando uniform, suggesting the country was in a state of war. The naval and air chiefs were also present. The prime minister had rushed to Islamabad from Multan to chair the meeting of the DCC. Though the DCC did not decide to pull out of the war on terror, it was agreed that Pakistan would revisit and undertake a complete review of all programmes and activities, including diplomatic, political, military and intelligence cooperation operations with the US, the NATO and ISAF. The DCC reiterated the resolve of the Pakistani people and the armed forces to safeguard Pakistan’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity at all costs. A press release issued by the PM’s House after the DCC meeting said, “In accordance with the resolution of the joint session of parliament of May 14, 2011, the DCC decided to close with immediate effect the NATO/ISAF logistics supply lines. The DCC also decided to ask the US to vacate the Shamsi airbase within 15 days.” It was decided that the prime minister would take parliament into confidence over the entire range of meas-
ures regarding matters relating to Pakistan’s future cooperation with the US, NATO and ISAF. The DCC strongly condemned the attack on Pakistani border posts in Mohmand that resulted in the loss of precious life of officers and men of the Pakistan Army and injuries to several. The DCC expressed heartfelt sympathies and offered condolence to families of the brave soldiers who fought valiantly and embraced martyrdom and prayed for the early recovery of those injured in the attack. The DCC was informed that strong protests had already been lodged with the United States and at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, conveying in the strongest possible terms Pakistan’s condemnation of the attack that constituted a breach of sovereignty and were a violation of international law, besides having gravely dented the fundamental basis of Pakistan’s cooperation with NATO/ISAF against militancy and terror. The DCC also noted with concern that the NATO and ISAF attacks were in violation of their mandate that was confined to Afghanistan. Pakistan had clearly conveyed to them the red lines, which constituted an integral element of its cooperation that was based on a partnership approach. “The attack on Pakistan Army border posts is totally unacceptable and warrants an effective national response,” an official statement issued after the meeting said. earlier in Multan, Gilani said “Pakistan’s solidarity and security have been attacked this morning”. Addressing a public meeting, he said no one “will be allowed to cast an evil eye on Pakistan’s security and sovereignty and the government would defend national security at all costs”. He immediately contacted Opposition Leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, chief of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf Imran Khan and other political leaders to forge national unity to tackle the issue. He then rushed to Islamabad to meet President Asif Ali Zardari. Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar was also present in that meeting. “They talked about the situation arising due to the incident of
NATO choppers gun down 26 Pakistani troops in Mohmand ISLAMABAD/QUETTA Shaiq huSSaiN/Shahzada zulfiqar
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NLY a day after International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Commander General John Allen discussed border control issues with Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) helicopter gunships on Saturday killed 26 Pakistani security officials and injured another 14 in a blatant attack on a military checkpost in Salala area of Mohmand Agency, dealing a serious blow to the already strained relations between Islamabad and Washington. An army major and a captain were reportedly among the dead. Reacting to the attack, the government registered its protest with Washington, NATO headquarters in Brussels and summoned US Ambassador Cameron Munter to the Foreign Office, with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani cutting his Multan visit short and returning to the federal capital to chair a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC). On Gilani’s instructions, the foreign secretary called up US Ambassador Cameron Munter to lodge a strong protest over the incident. The foreign secretary told the US ambassador that the unprovoked attack by NATO/ISAF aircrafts on border posts had deeply incensed the government and the people of Pakistan. The attacks constituted a grave infringement of Pakistan’s sovereignty and were a violation of international law and a serious transgression of the oft conveyed red lines, the secretary said. Ambassador Munter expressed regret over the loss of life. “I have seen press accounts of an incident on the PakistaniAfghan border in which Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed. I regret the loss of life of any Pakistani servicemen, and pledge that the US will work closely with Pakistan to investigate this incident,” a US embassy statement quoted Munter as saying. Later in the day, the US embassy directed all US officials outside Islamabad to return to the federal capital and NATO’s helicopters and fighter aircraft’s unprovoked firing on two Pakistani border posts in Mohmand that resulted in the loss of 24 security forces officials,” an official statement said. The president condemned the incident, calling it an attack on the country’s sovereignty and “totally unacceptable”. The attack took place around 2am in Baizai area of Mohmand, where Pakistani troops are engaged with the Taliban. About 40 Pakistani troops were stationed at the outpost, military sources said. The incident has dealt a serious blow to the already strained relations
also issued a travel advisory for all US staff in Pakistan. The Balochistan government also barred NATO supply trucks and containers from entering into the province. The government of Balochistan directed the district administrations of Lasbela, bordering Karachi and Jaffarabad, connecting Balochistan and Sindh via Jacobabad, not to allow trucks and oil tankers carrying NATO supplies into Balochistan’s territory. Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani had also strongly condemned the attack. According to the ISPR, General Kayani presided over a high level meeting of military commanders at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi, declaring the NATO attack on Pakistani checkpost an attack on Pakistan’s sovereignty. The meeting also decided to give strong response to the attack. Pakistan Army chief demanded NATO investigate the attack immediately. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the NATO-led ISAF said it was “highly likely” that NATO aircraft caused the deaths of 26 Pakistani soldiers in Saturday’s he lethal strike. Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson said that ISAF forces and the Afghan army were carrying out a joint operation in the eastern part of the Afghan province of Kunar, which borders Pakistan, when they were forced to call in air support. “It’s highly likely that this close air support, called by the ground forces, caused the casualties,” Brigadier General Carsten Jacobson told AFP of Saturday’s deaths. Jacobson added that the operation had been taking place very close to the porous, mountainous border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, known as the Durand Line. “They were operating very close to the Durand Line, and as we know, the Durand Line is not everywhere very clear” in the area, he added. Jacobson earlier told the BBC that the close air support had “obviously” caused the casualties. “A situation developed on the ground that caused the force to call in for close air support which came in and obviously this caused Pakistani casualties and that is what has to be investigated,” he said.
between Islamabad and Washington and following the attack, NATO supply trucks and fuel tankers bound for Afghanistan were stopped at Jamrud in Khyber Agency. A spokesman for the NATO-led ISAF in Kabul said the coalition was aware of “an incident” and was gathering more information. The raid is the most serious incident of its kind. A similar incident on September 30, 2009, killed two Pakistani troops in Angoor Adda and led to the closure of one of the NATO’s supply routes through Pak-
istan for 10 days. The incident is expected to further worsen Pak-US relations. “This is an attack on Pakistan’s territorial sovereignty,” said Masood Kasur, governor of KhyberPakhtunkhwa. Only on Friday, ISAF Commander General John Allen and COAS Ashfaq Kayani had taken up the issue of cross border raids and the need for tighter measures to block militant traffic.
war games spotlight sino-pak hype | page 10 political parties’ reaction | page 04