Emergency was declared at Pakistan's airbases Sunday after Pakistan claimed that India violated Pakistan air spaces twice by sending its fire jets, according to local press reports.

The official APP news agency quoted Public Relations Director of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Air Commodore Humyun Viqar as saying that fighter aircraft of the Indian air force violated Pakistan's air space at the eastern border city of Lahore and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir separately.

"The Indian Air craft entered into Pakistan's Air space from two to four nautical miles at two different sectors and were swiftly responded by the efficient Pakistan Air Defense system forcing them to return to their own territory," Viqar said.

He said that the Indian aircraft's violations took place at 11: 30 (0630 GMT) and 13:05 (0805 GMT) Saturday.

The PAF spokesman said that the Pakistan Air Force was vigilant and guarding the country's air space efficiently.

"It may be a technical violation, as aircraft fly at high altitude possible that it may be a mistake," Viqar said.

"We are ready to deal with any misadventure, we are monitoring the situation, we are on alert," the PAF spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Pakistani Information Minister Sherry Rehman said that Indians had told Pakistan that it was an inadvertent incursion. She said that Pakistan did not want to prolong the matter.

The incident comes at a time when tension is running high between the two South Asian neighbors after the Mumbai attacks, which killed around 180 people and injured over 300.

Pakistani TV channels reported that the Indian planes were fully equipped with warheads.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardrai was informed about the violations, according to local media reports.

They said that Pakistan would formally lodge protest against the air space violations.

(Xinhua News Agency December 14, 2008)