Pakistan army cancels US trip amid search dispute

Islamabad: Pakistan's military cancelled a trip by officers to an annual meeting at US Central Command after they were taken off a plane and subjected to "unwarranted security checks" at Dulles International Airport in Washington, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

The dispute appeared to be a sign of the mistrust between the US and Pakistani militaries, which are nominally allies in the fight against Taliban and Al Qaida but have long had an uneasy relationship.

The nine-member delegation was headed by a two-star Navy rear admiral. Its members were awaiting take off on a United Airlines flight to Tampa, Florida — where Central Command is based — when the incident took place on Monday, said army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas.

The delegation was taken off the plane and subjected to "unwarranted security checks" that resulted in their missing their flight. They called military authorities in Pakistan who instructed them to return home, Abbas said.

United Airlines officials were not immediately available for comment.

Dawn newspaper reported that the delegation was taken of the plane after a passenger voiced concerns they may have posed a security threat.

It quoted an unnamed security official as saying the officers "were treated like terrorists" and were not allowed to talk to anyone for two hours.

Increased checks at US airports are a sensitive issue for many Pakistanis, who frequently complain they are being unfairly singled out.

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