NATO strike sparks US-Pak meltdown

Islamabad/Washington, Nov 27 (IBNS): In a stern message to United States, Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday that Pakistan would not allow any body to attack the country, signalling a meltown in the already strained ties between two erstwhile allies.

Gilani made the statement in the backdrop of the attack by North-Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) helicopters at a checkpost in Pakistan-Afghanistan border on Saturday killing 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Pakistan took a strong move as a committee chaired by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani decided to cut supply lines to NATO forces in Afghanistan in response to the attack on Saturday, media reports said.

The Pakistani administration also asked US to vacate an important air base in the country within 15 days, media reports said.

"We will not allow to anybody to attack our country," Gilani said.

The incident has been vehemently condemned from all corners of the country.

On Sunday, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar called up US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and mentioned about the country´ ´rage´ on the entire incident.

She said that this sort of an incident was completely ´unacceptable´ as it violated and dishonored the sovereignty of the South Asian country, media reports said.

Meanwhile, US reacted to the incident and in a joint statement by US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Leon Panetta conveyed their condolences over the death of Pakistani soldiers.

However, they said that they support the intention of NATO to ´investigate immediately´, media reports said.

United States promised to make complete investigation into the matter.

Cameron Munter, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, met with Pakistani government officials in Islamabad.

Meanwhile, the NATO Secretary General offered their condolences in a statement on Sunday and mentioned the attack to be ´regrettable´.

" I offer my deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the Pakistani officers and soldiers who lost their lives or were injured, and to the government and people of Pakistan, following the regrettable incident along the Afghan-Pakistani border," the statement said.

"I have written to the Prime Minister of Pakistan to make it clear that the deaths of Pakistani personnel are as unacceptable and deplorable as the deaths of Afghan and international personnel," the statement added.

"This was a tragic unintended incident. I fully support the ISAF investigation which is currently underway. We will determine what happened, and draw the right lessons."

However the statement added that NATO would remain ´committed´ to working with Pakistan and improving cooperation to avoid the recurrence of such tragic incidents.

"We have a joint interest in the fight against cross-border terrorism and in ensuring that Afghanistan does not once again become a safe haven for terrorists. NATO and Pakistan share a common goal: a stable Afghanistan in a peaceful region," the statement mentioned.

At least 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed on Saturday morning as NATO helicopters struck on a Pakistani post near the Afghanistan border.

Several others were injured in the attack that took place in the Salala checkpost at Mohmand.

Around 40 Pakistani soldiers were stationed at the checkpost where the attack took place, as per reports.

The political administration of Khyber Agency in Pakistan has stopped the supplies to NATO forces in Afghanistan after the federation's order, Geo News reported.