Amid indications from Washington that President Barrack Obama had been advised by Pentagon against apologising for the last Saturday's air attack on Pakistan Army outposts till the investigation was completed, U.S. Ambassador in Islamabad Cameron Munter on Thursday extended “sincere condolences'' and expressed confidence about weathering this crisis.
“Hamey bohat afsos hay'' [we are very sorry], said Mr. Munter in Urdu also in his 56-second message that was issued in various formats and uploaded on YouTube for reaching out to as many Pakistanis as possible. “I am certain we will weather this one [crisis] too and emerge — together — as stronger partners. We take this matter very seriously and pledge to you a full, in-depth investigation.''
Soon after NATO troops fired upon two border posts in Mohmand tribal agency along the Afghanistan border, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defence Secretary Leon Panetta had offered their condolences.
Meanwhile, two Pakistanis were allegedly gunned down by NATO forces in the Helmand province of Afghanistan which borders the Chagai area of Balochistan. Local journalists were told by family members of the deceased that they had gone to Afghanistan to visit relatives.
