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US Ambassador Anne W Patterson has apologised for the Nato helicopter attacks in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD:

In what appears to be a hard-earned rare diplomatic ‘triumph’ for Islamabad, the United States on Wednesday offered the ‘deepest apology’ to Pakistan over the last week’s Nato cross-border attack that killed two security officials.

However, even as US Ambassador Anne Patterson and the top US Commander in Afghanistan Gen David Patreaus tendered separate apologies after a joint Pakistan and International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) investigation, more attacks took place in Quetta and Nowshera on Wednesday.

The investigation concluded that the two Nato helicopters crossed into the country’s air territory several times on September 30. It was established that the US helicopters had mistaken the Pakistani Frontier Scouts for insurgents they had been pursuing, Isaf said in a statement.

“We believe the Pakistani border guard was simply firing warning shots after hearing the nearby engagement and hearing the helicopters flying close by,” said the statement.

In response to the warning shots, Nato helicopters returned the fire killing two Pakistan border security officials and wounding four others.

Isaf, in the joint probe, conceded that the incident could have been avoided had there been better coordination with the Pakistan military.

Earlier, the US-allied  forces insisted that the incident was unavoidable and that they had fired at the security check post in self-defence.

However, the Pakistan military did not agree with their assessment and forced them to admit they had made a mistake.

The US-led forces while offering regret assured that they would work closely with Pakistan to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.

“Isaf offers its deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of those killed and wounded, to the Pakistan military, and to the people of Pakistan,” said Nato chief General David Petraeus.

In a separate statement, US Ambassador Anne Patterson also apologised to Pakistan over the tragic incident.

“We extend our deepest apology to Pakistan and the families of the Frontier Scouts who were killed and injured,” she added.

The formal public apology and acceptance of responsibility for the attack by Nato were major demands that Pakistan made for the resumption of Nato supplies, suspended last week after the border violations.

The latest move by the US, officials said, would pave the way for the resumption of Nato supplies at Torkham border.

The ambassador noted that the US would coordinate with Pakistan to prevent such ‘tragic accidents’ from taking place in the future. “Pakistan’s brave security forces are our allies in a war that threatens both Pakistan and the US,” she maintained.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, talking to The Express Tribune on Wednesday said that the Nato incursions and attacks on Pakistan’s soil were accidents and not part of any new strategy by Nato.

Qureshi said that he met with the secretary general of Nato who informed him that the attacks were accidents. The secretary general also apologised over the incident and said that an investigation had been ordered. Qureshi added that there is no “hot pursuit” arrangement with Nato and there are no “hot pursuit” rules.

The foreign minister also said that he received a phone call from US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke on behalf of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who expressed her condolences and regret over the loss of lives in the Nato incursions.

Commenting on the suspension of Nato supplies, Qureshi said that it was Pakistan’s responsibility to make sure that they remain secure.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2010.