Thaindian News

Islamabad, Jan 24 (IANS) Pakistan does not agree with the US findings on a NATO airstrike last year that left 24 of its soldiers dead, authorities said.

Inter Services Public Relations, the Pakistani armed forces’ publicity wing, said Pakistan disagrees with several portions and findings of the probe report as these are factually not correct, reported Associated Press of Pakistan.

The airstrikes Nov 26 last year on two Pakistani Army checkposts in Mohmand Agency in the northwest region killed two dozen soldiers, sparking outrage in Pakistan. Islamabad promptly barred the passage of NATO supplies through the country and decided to boycott an international conference focussed on the future course of action in Afghanistan. It also told the US to vacate the key Shamsi airbase that was used to launch drone attacks.

The US investigation report was received by the General Headquarters (GHQ) of the Pakistan Army Dec 24, 2011.

It is the same unclassified version as available on the US Central Command (CENTCOM) website.

APP said that the fundamental cause of the NATO incident was the failure of the US/ISAF to share its near-border operation with Pakistan at any level.

This obviously was a major omission, as were several others, like the complicated chain of command, complex command and control structure and unimaginative/intricate rules of engagement as well as lack of unified military command in Afghanistan, it added.

The coalition forces also carried out unprovoked engagement of posts located inside Pakistan violating the US/ISAF mandate which is limited to Afghanistan alone.

The US probe report is structured around the argument of ’self defence’ and ‘proportional use of force’, an argument which is contrary to facts. Affixing partial responsibility of the incident on Pakistan is therefore, unjustified and unacceptable, it said.