The Hindu : Front Page : Pakistan lists airspace ‘violations’

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Friday, Dec 19, 2008
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Front Page

Front Page

Pakistan lists airspace ‘violations’

Nirupama Subramanian

Expresses concern over incidents
Opposition slams government

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, which last week brushed aside alleged violations of its airspace by the Indian Air Force as “technical” and “inadvertent” intrusions, on Thursday expressed concern to India about the incidents.

The Pakistan Foreign Ministry handed a note verbale to the Indian Deputy High Commissioner, Manpreet Vohra, listing four ‘violations’ by IAF planes on December 12 and 13.

In a statement, the Foreign Office spokesman said: “The Indian Deputy High Commissioner was called to the Foreign Office today [Thursday] and a diplomatic note was handed over to him, conveying the concern of the Government of Pakistan on technical and airspace violations by Indian aircraft on 12 and 13 December 2008 in non-conformity with the 1991 Agreement between Pakistan and India on Prevention of Airspace Violations.”

Under the agreement, the two air forces must not cross into a 10-km zone from the border on their own side. Pakistan has alleged that in two incidents, the aircraft crossed this 10-km limit. Such incidents would constitute “technical” intrusions.

Two other alleged incidents, in which the IAF planes are said to have crossed into Pakistan, would fall into the category of “airspace violations.”

One of these is said to have taken place on December 12 in the Srinagar sector in Kashmir, and the second in the Narowal sector in Punjab.

Pakistan’s complaint to India nearly a week after the incidents came after Opposition parties criticised the government for jumping to provide a clarification for the ‘violations.’

While the IAF denied they ever happened, President Asif Ali Zardari said earlier this week that the planes had committed a “technical” incursion, and that this was not an unusual occurrence when planes fly at a height of 40,000 to 50,000 feet.

Information Minister Sherry Rehman said the violations were “inadvertent.”

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was visiting Pakistan when the alleged airspace violations were first reported.

In the National Assembly, a member of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) said that instead of using that opportunity to ask the international community to take a firm stand on India’s “aggressive” actions, the government had rushed to explain them.

He said such “weakness” would only invite more “aggression” by India.

India denies charge

Sandeep Dikshit reports from New Delhi:

India denied Pakistan’s allegations of airspace violations and said the note verbale would be “examined and responded to appropriately.”

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