Inter services Public Relations (ISPR) has rejected the US investigation
report regarding attack on Salala check post and has stated that
affixing partial responsibility of the incident on Pakistan is
therefore, unjustified and unacceptable.
According to the statement issued on Monday the US Investigation
Report into the Salala incident of 26th November 2011, involving aerial
strikes by US aircraft and helicopters resulting into Shahadat (killing)
of 24 Pakistani soldiers and injury to 13 others, was received by the
General Headquarters (GHQ) Pakistan Army on the 24th of December 2011.
The report received is the same unclassified version as available on the US Central Command (CENTCOM) Website.
The analysis of the US Investigation Report has been carried out by
Pakistan Military with a view to reiterate facts and correct the
perspective.
Pakistan does not agree with several portions and findings of the
Investigation Report as these are factually not correct. The fundamental
cause of the incident of 26th November 2011 was the failure of US -ISAF
to share its near-border operation with Pakistan at any level.
This obviously was a major omission, as were several others, like the
complicated chain of command, complex command and control structure and
unimaginative / intricate Rules of Engagement as well as lack of
unified military command in Afghanistan.
In addition to the foregoing, US / ISAF violated all mutually agreed
procedures with Pakistan for near-border operations put in place to
avert such uncalled for actions. It also carried out unprovoked
engagement of Pakistani Posts located inside Pakistan violating the US
-ISAF mandate which is limited to Afghanistan alone.
The US Investigation Report is structured around the argument of
“self defence” and “proportional use of force”, an argument which is
contrary to facts. Continued engagement by US-ISAF despite being
informed about the incident at multiple levels by Pakistan Military
within minutes of initiation of US – ISAF fire, belies the “self
defence” and “proportional use of force” contention.
Affixing partial responsibility of the incident on Pakistan is therefore, unjustified and unacceptable. SANA
