Pakistan Air Force jets scrambled on Saturday to turn back Indian warplanes that had entered Pakistan's airspace, the Islamabad government said. Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting said there was no need for alarm and that India had explained the violation was inadvertent.

There was no immediate direct comment from India. The violations occurred at a time of tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours following an attack on Mumbai two weeks ago that the Indian government has blamed on militants based in Pakistan.

Copyright Reuters, 2008