ISAF,NATO attacks on Pakistani posts on Afghan border not unintended: DG MO
RAWALPINDI, Nov 29 (APP): Terming the strikes on Pakistani posts by Coalition and International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) force unprovoked act of blatant aggression, Director General, Military Operations, Maj Gen Ishfaq Nadeem said on Tuesday that attacks were not unintended in which all coordination procedures were violated.
The positions of the posts were already conveyed to the ISAF through map references and it was impossible that they did not know these to be our posts, he said while briefing columnists, defence analysts and television anchorpersons here at GHQ. Chief of General Staff, Lt General Waheed Arshad was also present during the briefing.
The DG MO said that there were four border communication centres to coordinate operations against militants but,unfortunately, all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) were violated by ISAF and North Atlantic Tearty Organization (NATO) on the night of attack.
The area where the attacks were carried out was already cleared of the militants by Pakistani forces and there was not any cross border movement of terrorists from Pakistan to Afghan territory, he added.
The DG MO apprised that prior to this incident,
there had been three attacks which were carried out from across the border in 2008, 2010 and 2011 killing 14 Pakistani soldiers and injuring another 13 troops.
No information regarding inquiry of these attacks was shared or provided to us despite our repeated requests and when provided, it was inaccurate and incomplete, he added. Giving details of the incident, he said after the midnight on November 26,
2 to 3 helicopters appeared and started engaging Volcano post breaking down all communication systems.
In response, the Boulder post engaged helicopters with anti aircraft guns and all available weapons. The helicopter also attacked this post.
He said all channels of coordination methods were immediately activated. We informed them about the attack. But, the helicopters reappeared and also engaged the Boulder post.
In both attacks, 24 soldiers including two officers embraced Shahadat while 15 others sustained injuries, he added.
Responding to a question, regarding response, he said that army deployment on the Western border was not against ISAF and NATO forces rather it was against militants.
When asked why did the ISAF and NATO attack on Pakistani posts and what type of advantage they wanted to get, he said that people could better analyze in the backdrop of environment emerged after the May 2 incident. To a query, he said the response of the Government was adequate and mentioned the Defence Cabinet Committee (DCC) meeting and vacation of Shamsi airbase.
About Pakistan Air Force response, he said the situation was not clear till morning so considering on ground situation which was not clear, the PAF was not asked to respond. He said that the President, Prime Minister and Defence Minister were informed about the incident on the next morning after situation became clear.
To another question,
he said that Army also takes deaths of civilians in Drone attacks very seriously and said the attacks should be stopped as these were proving counter-productive and increasing militancy.
Regarding Afghan media reports about shelling on Afghans from Pakistani side, he said that Afghan media reports were totally incorrect and there was no truth in them. The Afghan government officials have agreed that the information shared by locals with them was totally wrong.
Associated Press Of Pakistan ( Pakistan's Premier NEWS Agency ) - ISAF,NATO attacks on Pakistani posts on Afghan border not unintended: DG MO
