Indignant Pak says US' unilateral strike in Wana blatant violation of int'l law

Islamabad, Sept. 4 : Pakistan's Senate today adopted a unanimous resolution strongly condemning an attack by Afghanistan-based US-led NATO forces on a Pakistani border region killing 20 civilians.

The resolution mentioned that the raid undermined the basic norms of international law.

"The Chinook helicopter-borne ground attack supported by additional air assets based in Afghanistan is a gross violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It also undermines the basic norms of international law and contradicts the very basis of cooperation between Pakistani security forces and ISAF (International Security Assistance Force), the coalition forces in Afghanistan," Xinhua quoted the Senate resolution as saying.

It further said that any incursion inside the Pakistani territory and resulting loss of innocent lives was "unacceptable" and that this matter may be taken up strongly with member countries of the ISAF.

The Senate called upon the government of Pakistan to take all necessary measures to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country and repel such attacks in the future with full force.

The Senate also reiterated the resolve of the people of Pakistan to combat all forms and manifestation of terrorism that constitutes threats to the people and vital interest of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the country's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also strongly condemned the attack describing it as "shameful and unprovoked". He warned that such actions "could endanger Pakistan's cooperation with the coalition forces", and added that Pakistan has set up to 1000 check posts along its border with Afghanistan to check movement of militants.

"It was a shameful, uncalled for and unprovoked incident and innocent people were killed. Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity was violated," Qureshi said in the National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament.

He said that the coalition forces also violated the U.N. charter and rules of engagements, which are very clear for operations.

Qureshi informed the house that there is an established mechanism for the exchange of information. "But that system was not used. These norms were not used. It is violation of the U.N. charter," he said, and added that Pakistan, the Afghan National Army and the coalition forces had established the Basic Coordination System (BCC) along the Torkham border point for coordination and that system was also not used.

He said that there was no known terrorist when the U.S.-led coalition forces attacked the Pakistani area and killed innocent people including women and children.

ANI