U.S., Pakistan continue to spar on NATO strike

Islamabad demands full version of U.S. report

Pakistan and U.S. find themselves at odds with each other again with Islamabad rejecting the American probe into the deadly NATO cross border strike that left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead and Washington standing by it “100 per cent”.

The first salvo was fired by the Pakistani Army which on Monday officially rejected the probe report of the November 26 attack prepared by American Brigadier General Stepehen Clark saying Islamabad does not agree with several portions and findings of the ‘Investigation Report' as these are not factually correct.

The Pakistani Army also argued that the NATO strike was an “unprovoked attack”.

Hours later, the Pentagon struck back saying the U.S. stands by its own investigation that it was not an unprovoked firing by the U.S.-led forces.

“This [Pakistani military remarks] does not change our belief in the validity of the findings. The statement that this was an unprovoked attack by American forces is simply false,” said Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt John Kirby.

Asserting that the U.S. stands “100 per cent” by the investigation done by a top general from the Central Command (CENTOCM) released last month, Captain Kirby said the U.S. had desired Pakistani participation in that investigation, which then would have been more thorough.

Pakistan's absence from participation in the CENTCOM investigation, Captain Kirby said, “does not change our firm belief in the validity of the findings of the investigations that we did”.

The Pakistani Army which had issued a statement rejecting the probe report, has also uploaded a detailed “Pakistani Perspective on the US Investigation Report”, approved by Defence Committee of the Cabinet, on its media arm ISPR's website.

Saying it has received the unclassified version of the probe report, Pakistan has demanded that “full and complete classified version of the US Investigation Report be made available.”

It has also sought provision of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance picture of the complete incident along with all aerial platform videos and record of radio transmissions and communication between the crew(s) of the aerial platforms involved.

The NATO strike was a huge setback to the then already tense U.S.-Pak relations. Pakistan had reacted angrily after the soldiers were killed and 13 more injured when NATO helicopters and combat jets from Afghanistan targeted two military check posts in Salala area of Mohmand tribal region.

Pakistan troop deaths 'regrettable': Obama

US President Barack Obama on Sunday called Pakistan's president to offer condolences over a Nato air strike that killed 24 Pakistani troops and has led to a crisis in relations between the two countries. Obama told President Asif Ali Zardari that the soldiers' deaths were "regrettable" and accidental, according to a White House statement.

He reiterated his call for a full investigation of the Nov 26 incident and said the relationship with Pakistan was critical to the security interests of both nations.

The Nato air strike sparked fury in Pakistan and complicated US-led efforts to ease tensions in relations with Islamabad, still seething at a secret US raid in May that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and to stabilize the region before foreign combat troops leave Afghanistan in 2014.

"The president made clear that this regrettable incident was not a deliberate attack on Pakistan and reiterated the United States' strong commitment to a full investigation," the White House said.

"The two presidents reaffirmed their commitment to the US-Pakistan bilateral relationship, which is critical to the security of both nations, and they agreed to stay in close touch," the statement added.

Obama's phone call came on the eve of an international conference in Germany on the future of Afghanistan.

Pakistan is boycotting the conference because of the Nato air strikes.

On Saturday, US secretary of state Hillary Clinton spoke by phone with Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to offer condolences.

Pentagon says Pakistan not joining bombing probe

The defense department says Pakistan is refusing to participate in the US investigation of last week's Nato bombing along the Afghanistan border that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.

Defense department spokesman George Little says the US has asked Pakistan to be part of the

investigation, but that the Pakistanis have "elected to date" to not participate.

Little refers to the bombing as a "bump in the road" for US-Pakistani counterterrorism cooperation.

Another Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. John Kirby, says it's too early to assign blame for the deaths because the investigation is not yet complete.

US starts vacating Pakistan airbase

The US on Sunday started pulling out its nationals from Shamsi airbase, reportedly used by CIA-operated drones, on the orders of Pakistan government after a deadly NATO cross-border airstrike killed 24 of its soldiers. An American aircraft arrived in Pakistan to fly out US nationals. After the aircraft landed, the US nationals boarded it amidst strict security, TV news channels reported.

Officials from the Federal Investigation Agency were present at the airbase, the reports said. Residents living around Shamsi airbase were told not to leave their homes while the American nationals were being taken to the aircraft. There was no official word on the development from Pakistani or American officials.

Pakistan asked the US to vacate the remote airbase in Balochistan within 15 days and blocked routes used to transport supplies to US and allied forces in Afghanistan after a cross-border NATO air strike on two military posts killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on November 26.

Reports have said the Shamsi airbase, located about 300 km from Balochistan capital Quetta, has been used by US drone used to target militants in Pakistan’s restive tribal belt.

Pakistan reportedly leased the base to the United Arab Emirates in 1992, and the US was given access to the facility after the 9/11 terror attacks.

This is the third time Pakistan has asked the US to vacate the airbase. Similar demands were made after CIA contractor Raymond Davis gunned down two men in Lahore in January and after the US military raid that killed bin Laden in May.

The Express Tribune quoted a US government source as saying that the Americans had spent months preparing for a possible eviction from Shamsi by building up other drone launching and staging capabilities.