ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: Pakistan Foreign Office on Tuesday summoned American Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker and lodged a strong protest over an air strike by the US-led coalition forces in North Waziristan that killed one Pakistani soldier and injured two others a day earlier.

Separately, a protest was lodged with the High Commissioner of the UK at the Foreign Office and a thorough investigation into the matter was demanded.

In a long-drawn meeting with the Additional Secretary (Americas) Shahid Kemal, at which the Additional Secretary (Afghanistan) Khalid Khattak was also present, the US ambassador was pointedly told that there should be no repeat of such episodes.

A one paragraph statement issued by the Foreign Office Spokesperson later said: “A strong protest was lodged with the Coalition authorities through the Ambassador of the United States and, separately, the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom at the Foreign Office today.” It added: “They were told that the Coalition authorities should investigate the incident and ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.”

According to the statement both the envoys expressed “deep regret” and said that the incident was being investigated.

“In an incident involving the Coalition forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border on January 22, 2007, a Pakistani soldier was martyred and two were injured,” the statement said.

On Monday Military Spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan said Pakistan had lodged a strong protest with the coalition authorities in Afghanistan for “mistakenly” firing on a border checkpost in the Shawal area of North Waziristan near the Afghan border.

The incident was also raised in the Senate on Monday evening with a government minister condemning the attack and declaring that such violations would not be tolerated in future. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will take up the matter with the Nato Secretary-General when he meets him in Belgium next week, it is learnt.

The deadly attack that takes places ahead of the US secretary of State

Condoleezza Rice’s planned visit to Pakistan next month would also be high on the agenda during her talks here, sources told Dawn. There is growing concern and resentment in Pakistan, both in the official circles and in the public domain, about the high-handedness of the US-led coalition forces and it is strengthening the perception that Pakistan as a key US ally is being taken for granted.

This is not the first time that the coalition forces in Afghanistan have violated the international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. There have been several incidents in the past, some made public and others not.

In 2003 in a similar incident involving American forces, two Pakistani soldiers were killed. Later, the then US secretary of State Colin Powell apologised to Pakistan and expressed his regrets.

Observers believe that such incidents only intensify the anti-US sentiment in Pakistan and raises questions about the ongoing Pakistan-US cooperation in the war against terrorism.