Islamabad: Confusion and a communication breakdown prevented Pakistan's air force from scrambling to defend troops on the ground during the deadly Nato bombing last weekend of two border outposts, the military said yesterday, responding to rare domestic criticism of the powerful institution.
The attack killed 24 Pakistani troops and pushed already strained ties between Washington and Islamabad over the future of Afghanistan close to rupture. Islamabad has closed its eastern border to Nato supplies travelling into landlocked Afghanistan and said it is reviewing its cooperation with Washington.
Thousands of Islamist extremists took to the streets across the country after Friday prayers, some shouting they would join the army in a battle with the US-led coalition in Afghanistan. The chants were a worrying sign for the West, reflecting how the anger over the incident is uniting hardliners and the military.
Others rallied against the country's already weak government for its alliance with Washington.
The Pakistani military, which eats up most of the country's budget and is accountable to no one, has said Saturday's border attack was an "act of deliberate aggression" that went on for close to two hours. It has also said that Pakistani commanders contacted and pleaded with coalition commanders to stop firing.
Nato and US officials have disputed that account, which has triggered uncomfortable questions in this South Asian country over why Pakistan's own fighter jets and helicopters stationed close to the border did not take off to defend the ground troops during the attack.
The military has said troops did fire back at the Nato choppers when they attacked.
A Pakistani military statement yesterday said the response could have been more "effective" if the air force had been called in, but this was not possible because of a "breakdown of communication" and confusion at "various levels" within the organisation.
US officials expressed their condolences over the loss of life and denied the Pakistan army was deliberately targeted.
But they have not apologised, saying it would not be appropriate before an investigation into the incident has been completed. In the past, Nato and the US has complained that militants along the border are helped or tolerated by Pakistani soldiers.
Demonstrations yesterday took place around Pakistan, with one of the largest in Karachi, the country's commercial hub.
Sunni extremist group Sipah-e-Sahaba, subject to a government ban, largely ignored, because of its links to Al Qaida, rallied in the Karachi downtown area.
