Pakistan summons Indian envoy over airspace violation (Roundup)

Dec 18, 2008, 11:21 GMT

   Islamabad - Pakistani authorities on Thursday summoned a senior Indian diplomat to lodge a formal protest over last week's alleged airspace violation by Indian fighter jets.

   According to a statement by the Foreign Ministry, Indian Deputy High Commissioner Manpreet Vohra was handed a diplomatic note 'conveying the concern of the government of Pakistan on technical and airspace violations by Indian aircraft on 12 and 13 December 2008.'

   The Indian action was 'in non-conformity with the 1991 Agreement between Pakistan and India on Prevention of Air Space Violations,' it said further.

   In New Delhi, a spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs said the Indian government rejected the allegation five days ago and that the note will be 'examined and responded to appropriately.'

   'It had been made clear by the government of India when we saw the reports that no violations of Pakistani airspace by Indian aircraft have taken place,' the spokesman said.

   'This was also conveyed to the Pakistani side when the Pakistan Director General of Military Operations raised it verbally with our DGMO on the evening of December 16, 2008, three days after the alleged violations,' he added.

   Tensions between the two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours have intensified since the November 26 Mumbai terrorist attacks, which India believes were carried out by Pakistan-based Islamic militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

   Pakistan claimed last week two Indian warplanes flew over the Pakistani part of divided Kashmir and near the eastern city of Lahore. India denied the claim.

   Initially, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari tried to downplay the incident as a technical mistake in an attempt to avoid further escalation of tensions.

   But a confirmation from Washington that the incursions were intentional sparked criticism by the Pakistani public as well as opposition parties against Zardari's apparent show of naivety.