NATO forces attack Pakistan soil

In September 2010, a NATO helicopter attack on a Pakistani border post in the tribal regions killed two soldiers. Pakistan closed traffic for NATO convoys for a few days but later reopened the route. The U.S., wary of its part-time ally, begun moving more supplies for Afghanistan through Central Asia. The Pakistan land route, from the port city of Karachi across country to two major borders with Afghanistan, still accounts for roughly half of NATO supplies coming in to Afghanistan.

Since that incident, which blew over, the U.S.-Pakistan relationship has deteriorated. Pakistan' army was embarrassed and angered by the covert raid by U.S. Navy SEALs in May that killed Osama bin Laden in a Pakistani army garrison town. That came after a Central Intelligence Agency contractor shot dead two armed men in Lahore in January and was briefly jailed.

Just last week, Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S. was forced to resign amid allegations he had sought Washington's help to reduce the power of Pakistan's army, which plays a large role in domestic politics.

A predawn attack by North Atlantic Treaty Organization forces Saturday killed at least 24 Pakistani soldiers and injured 13 others, adding further stress to the U.S.'s troubled relationship with Pakistan and complicating efforts to push forward peace talks with the Taliban.

Pakistan's army reacted angrily, calling the "unprovoked" raid on two Pakistani border posts an "irresponsible act." The army said NATO helicopters and fighter aircraft, under the cover of darkness, had bombed the posts in Mohmand tribal region, a lawless border area that which abuts Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province.

In retaliation, Pakistan's security forces began to turn back scores of Pakistani-owned trucks that carry NATO supplies into Afghanistan. Mr Gilani, after chairing an emergency meeting of the country's defense committee, including Gen. Kayani, announced the formal suspension of NATO supply lines through Pakistan.

"Pakistan's sovereignty was attacked," said Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. "This is our Pakistan and we have to defend it."

Posted in: posted by Zainab Malik