Pakistan lodged a formal protest with Indian authorities through the Indian High Commission in Islamabad on Friday against a serious maritime incident on June 16, 2011, in which Indian Navy Ship (INS) Godavari not only impeded humanitarian operations being carried out by Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Babur for Merchant Vessel (MV) Suez, but also undertook “dangerous manoeuvres” that resulted in a near-collision of the two ships.
PNS Babur was escorting and assisting MV Suez, which had recently been released from captivity by Somali pirates. “This incident constitutes a serious violation of international regulations pertaining to safe conduct at high seas and of the India-Pakistan Agreement of 1991 on Advance Notice of Military Exercise Maneuvers and Troops Movements,” said a Foreign Office statement. “The Indian government has been asked to ensure non-recurrence of such incidents,” the statement added.
