Pakistan returns helicopters given by US to monitor Pak-Afghan border

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday returned five remaining helicopters to the United States which were given earlier for monitoring the country's border with Afghanistan, sources told Geo News.

The US gave a total of nine helicopters to Pakistan in 2002. Pakistan had already returned four of these helicopters on October 15.

The remaining rotary-wing aircraft were loaded on a transport aircraft in Islamabad on Monday and are expected to reach the US early today, sources said.

These helicopters had been in use by the Ministry of Interior's air wing.

The choppers had been used during the Balochistan operation and different anti-narcotics operations, according to sources.

These US-made choppers also assisted the ministry in counter-terrorism operations.

Sources further added that the return of said helicopters will affect all operations, including the monitoring of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

At present, the Ministry of Interior has no helicopters in its air wing, with only three Cessna aircraft remaining in the air wing.