December 19, 2008	Friday	Zilhaj 20, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: The Foreign Office summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner on Thursday and conveyed ‘concerns’ over last week’s violation of Pakistani airspace by Indian Air Force jets.

“The Indian deputy high commissioner was called to the Foreign Office today and a diplomatic note was handed over to him, conveying the concern of the Government of Pakistan on technical and airspace violations by Indian aircraft on December 12 and 13, 2008, in non-conformity with the 1991 agreement between Pakistan and India on prevention of airspace violations,” said Foreign Office Spokesman Mr Muhammad Sadiq.

Additional Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry handed over the diplomatic note to the Indian diplomat, Manpreet Vohra.

Besides expressing concern over the incident, the note asked India to explain its position.

Mr Vohra reiterated the Indian position and said that the complaint would be communicated to New Delhi.

The handing over of the note almost a week after violations by Indian fighter planes of airspace over Lahore and Azad Kashmir represents a significant shift in Pakistan’s position on the issue. President Asif Ali Zardari had earlier downplayed the violations saying they were ‘inadvertent’ and ‘technical’.

The change in position, which has been noted with concern by India, marks a growing stiffening of Islamabad’s stance towards New Delhi.

The peace process between the two countries has already been suspended after the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had on Wednesday urged India to get in the cooperative mode, or else the two countries would be pushed back to the old days of hostility.