Islamabad: A day after 28
Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed in firing by NATO helicopters
and combat jets near a border check post, Islamabad is indulging in
some tough posturing against the United States. In an unequivocal
message to Washington expressing its anger over the strike, Pakistan
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said, "We will not allow anybody
to attack our country."
The stern warning came after Islamabad, within hours of the attack, shut down the US and NATO's supply routes into Afghanistan which is used for sending in nearly half of the alliance's land shipments.
This was immediately followed by Pakistan asking the United States to vacate a key airbase in the country within 15 days.
The flurry of developments marks a new low in the already-fragile relationship between the two nations. The killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in May by US Special Forces in a unilateral strike as also the Raymond Davis episode had already severely strained ties between the allies.
The latest attack, thus, immediately drew severe condemnation from the highest quarters in Pakistan which dubbed the strikes as "unacceptable, constituted a grave infringement of Pakistan's sovereignty, were violative of international law and a serious transgression of the oft conveyed red lines."
"Pakistan is facing many challenges. Today at two o'clock in the morning, there was an attack on Pakistan. An attack on Pakistan's solidarity and independence..."We will be like a rock solid wall. I discussed the matter with Chaudhry Nisar, Leader of the Opposition, and also with Imran Khan and have been talking to other Pakistani leaders. That's why our nation and country has become united for the defence of the country. We will not allow to anybody to attack our country", Mr Gilani said.
The Defence Committee of the Cabinet in Pakistan had yesterday asked US to vacate the Shamsi airbase, the remote desert outpost in southwest Pakistan, which is reportedly used as a hub for covert CIA drone strikes. Pakistan had previously told the United States to leave the airbase in June.
The committee had also decided that Islamabad would review its military and intelligence cooperation with NATO.
The meeting was attended by the three service chiefs, including army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.
The stern warning came after Islamabad, within hours of the attack, shut down the US and NATO's supply routes into Afghanistan which is used for sending in nearly half of the alliance's land shipments.
This was immediately followed by Pakistan asking the United States to vacate a key airbase in the country within 15 days.
The flurry of developments marks a new low in the already-fragile relationship between the two nations. The killing of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad in May by US Special Forces in a unilateral strike as also the Raymond Davis episode had already severely strained ties between the allies.
The latest attack, thus, immediately drew severe condemnation from the highest quarters in Pakistan which dubbed the strikes as "unacceptable, constituted a grave infringement of Pakistan's sovereignty, were violative of international law and a serious transgression of the oft conveyed red lines."
"Pakistan is facing many challenges. Today at two o'clock in the morning, there was an attack on Pakistan. An attack on Pakistan's solidarity and independence..."We will be like a rock solid wall. I discussed the matter with Chaudhry Nisar, Leader of the Opposition, and also with Imran Khan and have been talking to other Pakistani leaders. That's why our nation and country has become united for the defence of the country. We will not allow to anybody to attack our country", Mr Gilani said.
The Defence Committee of the Cabinet in Pakistan had yesterday asked US to vacate the Shamsi airbase, the remote desert outpost in southwest Pakistan, which is reportedly used as a hub for covert CIA drone strikes. Pakistan had previously told the United States to leave the airbase in June.
The committee had also decided that Islamabad would review its military and intelligence cooperation with NATO.
The meeting was attended by the three service chiefs, including army chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.