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Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintDetail.aspx?ID=10610&Cat=13
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani military upped the ante on Monday, warning of grave consequences after the Nato forces killed 26 Pakistani soldiers early on Saturday morning while rejecting comments from Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who had said the attack was ‘tragic’ and ‘unintended’.
Rasmussen had written a letter to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in which he also condoled the deaths. While there is still no formal apology coming forthwith from Rasmussen that has been made public, the military on Monday said they rejected this regret.
“This (regret) is not good enough. We strongly condemn the attacks and reserve the right to take action,” said DG ISPR General Athar Abbas, while speaking to the national and international media from abroad on Monday. “This could have serious consequences in the level and extent of our cooperation,” he added.
He did not offer any response why the Pakistani troops appeared so unprepared while being posted to a sensitive area and whether there had been a response to requests for help when they came under attack. Abbas told The News that there were 25 soldiers manning each post and during this attack, 24 soldiers were killed and 13 injured. It is still unclear if there has been any casualty on the Afghan side.
“We think this (Rasmussen’s remark) is not enough and we do not accept it. Such raids have also been conducted in the past. Such attacks are unacceptable,” General Athar Abbas told BBC Urdu.
Pointing out that 72 Pakistani soldiers were killed and nearly 250 injured in Nato strikes in three years, he said the Pakistani leadership would decide whether more steps would be taken in reaction to the Nato strikes.
He also rejected unnamed sources claiming that the attack was in retaliation to firing from the Pakistani post. “It is ridiculous to find justification for Nato’s unprovoked attack through such notions.”
“Nato representatives were told to immediately stop firing, but the attacks continued. When our people were martyred and Nato continued more firing, then the Pakistani troops had the right to respond to stop the Nato attacks,” he said.
APP adds: Rejecting Nato’s claim that Pakistani forces initiated the fire, ISPR DG Major General Athar Abbas said Nato forces should present proof if they were claiming that firing was started from the Pakistani side. Talking to a private TV channel, he said no fire was opened from Pakistan’s side and “we responded only after the martyrdom of our soldiers”.
He said no Nato soldier was injured as a result of firing from the Pakistani side. He said Nato could not make the excuse that they were chasing terrorists across the border because the area where the attack took place had been cleared. Athar Abbas said Nato had been provided maps of all Pakistani checkposts as reference and had also been informed about their positions.
The DG ISPR said the attack took place within 200-300 meters within Pakistan’s borders, adding the area had been cleared of militants. He said investigations were still going on about the two posts namely Volcano and Golden made beyond Salala.
“When the attack was initiated, the soldiers deployed on these posts immediately informed the senior officers who took up the issue with regional headquarter at Peshawar and GHQ Rawalpindi. “They informed that the posts were being attacked. We received information of the martyrdom of 24 soldiers after mortar shelling was stopped from across the border,” he added. He said the attack continued for two hours in which another 13 soldiers sustained injuries. To a question, he said he would not speculate regarding the apology of Nato. “Our leadership is reviewing it,” he added.
_______________________________________________
Every time...
HOOON AYE THAY NAHE CHADANGAY!!
-
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani military upped the ante on Monday, warning of grave consequences after the Nato forces killed 26 Pakistani soldiers early on Saturday morning while rejecting comments from Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, who had said the attack was ‘tragic’ and ‘unintended’.
Rasmussen had written a letter to Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in which he also condoled the deaths. While there is still no formal apology coming forthwith from Rasmussen that has been made public, the military on Monday said they rejected this regret.
“This (regret) is not good enough. We strongly condemn the attacks and reserve the right to take action,” said DG ISPR General Athar Abbas, while speaking to the national and international media from abroad on Monday. “This could have serious consequences in the level and extent of our cooperation,” he added.
He did not offer any response why the Pakistani troops appeared so unprepared while being posted to a sensitive area and whether there had been a response to requests for help when they came under attack. Abbas told The News that there were 25 soldiers manning each post and during this attack, 24 soldiers were killed and 13 injured. It is still unclear if there has been any casualty on the Afghan side.
“We think this (Rasmussen’s remark) is not enough and we do not accept it. Such raids have also been conducted in the past. Such attacks are unacceptable,” General Athar Abbas told BBC Urdu.
Pointing out that 72 Pakistani soldiers were killed and nearly 250 injured in Nato strikes in three years, he said the Pakistani leadership would decide whether more steps would be taken in reaction to the Nato strikes.
He also rejected unnamed sources claiming that the attack was in retaliation to firing from the Pakistani post. “It is ridiculous to find justification for Nato’s unprovoked attack through such notions.”
“Nato representatives were told to immediately stop firing, but the attacks continued. When our people were martyred and Nato continued more firing, then the Pakistani troops had the right to respond to stop the Nato attacks,” he said.
APP adds: Rejecting Nato’s claim that Pakistani forces initiated the fire, ISPR DG Major General Athar Abbas said Nato forces should present proof if they were claiming that firing was started from the Pakistani side. Talking to a private TV channel, he said no fire was opened from Pakistan’s side and “we responded only after the martyrdom of our soldiers”.
He said no Nato soldier was injured as a result of firing from the Pakistani side. He said Nato could not make the excuse that they were chasing terrorists across the border because the area where the attack took place had been cleared. Athar Abbas said Nato had been provided maps of all Pakistani checkposts as reference and had also been informed about their positions.
The DG ISPR said the attack took place within 200-300 meters within Pakistan’s borders, adding the area had been cleared of militants. He said investigations were still going on about the two posts namely Volcano and Golden made beyond Salala.
“When the attack was initiated, the soldiers deployed on these posts immediately informed the senior officers who took up the issue with regional headquarter at Peshawar and GHQ Rawalpindi. “They informed that the posts were being attacked. We received information of the martyrdom of 24 soldiers after mortar shelling was stopped from across the border,” he added. He said the attack continued for two hours in which another 13 soldiers sustained injuries. To a question, he said he would not speculate regarding the apology of Nato. “Our leadership is reviewing it,” he added.
_______________________________________________
Every time...
HOOON AYE THAY NAHE CHADANGAY!!
-
