Pakistan accuses India of air space violation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan accused India of violating its airspace and declared emergency at all airbases Sunday two weeks after India vowed to take strong action against Islamabad in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, media reports said.

Pakistan's official APP news agency quoted Pakistan Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Humyun Viqar as saying that Indian fighter jets entered into the country's airspace over Lahore and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir twice last night.

Pakistani fighter jets swiftly responded to the violations by Indian jets, forcing them to return to thier own territory, Viqar said, adding that Pakistani Air Force would remain on alert to "thwart any aggression" from India.

According to the official, the violation by Indian jets took place at 11: 30 p.m. Saturday and again at 13:05 a.m. early Sunday.

The official, however, said this might be a "technical violation" by Indian jets. "But we are ready to deal with any misadventure. We are monitoring the situation, we are on alert," he said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Information Minister Sherry Rehman said that Indians had told Pakistan that it was an "inadvertent incursion". She said that Pakistan did not want to prolong the matter.

The incident comes at a time when tension is running high between the two nuclear-powered neighbours after the deadly Mumbai attacks, which killed around 180 people and injured over 300.