Pak army does not expect transparency in NATO probe: Report

Pakistan army does not expect the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation-led inquiry into the last month's deadly air strike to be transparent and did not see any tangible result coming out of the probe that it had refused to be part of.

The inquiry, headed by United States Brigadier General Stephen Clark, was set up to look into the November 26 cross-border NATO air strike that killed its 24 soldiers sending Pakistan-US bilateral ties for a spin.

The Pakistan army had decided not to take part in a NATO-led inquiry into the air strike on the military posts in Mohmand tribal region because it did not expect the investigation to be transparent, TV news channels quoted Pakistani military sources as saying.

The sources further said no tangible result was expected from the NATO probe as nothing of consequence had emerged from earlier investigations into cross-border attacks by US and allied forces. They added that Pakistan has also decided to increase the number of border posts that coordinate activities with US and allied forces in Afghanistan.

The number of border coordination posts jointly operated by Pakistani, Afghan and NATO forces along the border with Afghanistan will be increased from four to five, the sources were quoted as saying.

On Tuesday, the Pakistan army had called back some officials from the existing border coordination posts. Officials had then claimed that the troops had been recalled for consultations but American officials had said the move could hamper efforts to liaise with Pakistani troops and increase the risk of misunderstandings.

Pakistan responded angrily to the NATO attack by closing all routes used to transport supplies to US and allied forces in Afghanistan and asking the US to vacate Shamsi airbase, reportedly used by the Central Investigation Agency-operated drones, by December 11.

A total of 72 Pakistani security personnel were killed and 270 others injured in operations against militants in Mohmand Agency, the sources claimed. NATO had not recognised Pakistan's sacrifices in the war against terrorism, the sources claimed.