Pak lodges protest with NATO over cross-border air strikes into its territory

Islamabad, Oct 2 (ANI): Reacting to the recent NATO and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) intrusions into its territory, Pakistan has formally lodged a protest in this regard with a senior official at the NATO Headquarters in Brussels.

"Pakistan's Ambassador Jalil Abbas Jilani met the deputy secretary general of NATO in Brussels to lodge protest over the border violations by the ISAF helicopters," the Daily Times quoted a statement, as saying.

Condemning such incidents, which negated the spirit of cooperation between Pakistan and NATO, Jilani asked NATO to conduct an immediate and full enquiry into these serious incidents.

The NATO official offered regrets and termed the incident as most unfortunate, and assured that the organisation would carry out a detailed assessment of the incident.

Earlier this week, Pakistan had closed down a key supply route for US-led forces in Afghanistan in retaliation against their cross-border air strikes, which allegedly killed three Pakistani troops.

In separate meetings with CIA Director Leon Panetta, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani conveyed to the United States that any violation of its sovereignty was unacceptable to Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has expressed hope that Pakistan would reopen the key supply route for US-led forces in Afghanistan, which was closed in retaliation against air strikes staged by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Pakistani territory. (ANI)