Pakistan-Afghan Request
Afghan Government has requested Pakistan to launch an inquiry into the beheading of two of its citizens by Pakistani Taliban in the country's tribal region, the Foreign Ministry said Thursday.

Pakistani Taliban last week executed two Afghan nationals in Bajaur on charges of espionage for an American air strike which had killed around 12 people.

Afghan government asked Pakistan to bring those to book who had executed its nationals in Pakistani territory, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Muhammad Sadiq said.

"There was no conformation of the claim that the executed men were Afghans from any independent source and Pakistan is also unaware of the purpose of the visit of the two persons to Bajaur, if they were foreigners," Sadiq said.

He said Pakistan has asked Afghan Government to share the information on victims specifically their names, passport, visa particulars and the purpose of visit to Bajaur Agency.

To another question the spokesman said joint investigations are underway into NATO air strike on a Pakistani post and hoped that the two sides will be able to work out a better mechanism to
avoid recurrence of such incidents.

At least 11 Pakistani soldiers were killed when missiles of the US-led NATO forces hit a Pakistani check post last month.

Pakistan had also summoned US ambassador to the Foreign Office over the air strike and the US had agreed to launch a joint probe.

NATO and Pakistan officials met at Bagram in Afghanistan this week to initiate joint probe into the air strike.

Asked to comment on a statement of Chairman of US Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen about authority of hot pursuit of terrorists inside Pakistan, the foreign office spokesman said it is absolutely clear that all operations inside Pakistani territory are to be carried out by Pakistan forces and none else.