December 15, 2008	Monday	Zilhaj 16, 1429

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday there was no danger of a war breaking out between India and Pakistan, adding that Indian planes had intruded into Pakistan airspace on Saturday because of a ‘technical mistake’.

Addressing a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he said: “It was a technical mistake and the directors general of military operations of both countries are in contact with each other to handle such situation in future.”

Mr Zardari said the Indian planes were flying at an altitude of 40,000 to 50,000 feet and in the course of turning they entered Pakistani airspace. “The matter was taken up with the Indian authorities and they were apologetic on the technical mistake.”

According to Pakistan Air Force officials, the Indian aircraft violated airspace in Lahore and Azad Kashmir sectors. The aircraft entered two to four nautical miles inside and Pakistan’s air defence system acted swiftly to chase them away.

PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal said: “Indian Air Force’s violation of Pakistan’s airspace is a condemnable act.” He urged the government to raise the issue through diplomatic channels and resist such actions.

He said ‘state actors’ of India had burnt over 60 Pakistanis alive in the Samjhauta Express blast but the international community remained silent at that time.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman said the government had shown ‘cowardice’ by terming it a ‘technical mistake’.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan said it was unwise to declare the intrusion a ‘technical mistake’.

Commenting on British prime minister’s visit to Pakistan, he said it would not end the Pakistan-India standoff. “The United States is the main player and the British government does whatever the US wants it to do. Therefore. Mr Brown’s visit will not bring about any significant change,” he said.

Former ISI chief Lt-Gen (retd) Hameed Gul told a private TV channel that Pakistan should move the UN Security Council against the Indian incursion. — Staff Reporter