Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani military is considering bolstering its air defense system along its border with Afghanistan in response to a NATO airstrike last month that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, a lawmaker told CNN.
A senior Pakistani military official told a committee of lawmakers Thursday that a stronger air defense system would help deter violations of Pakistan's air space, said Sen. Ashraf Qazi who attended the briefing.
"I think it needs to be done because if somebody comes into your country and pounds you out of existence, we should be able to hit back," Qazi told CNN.
The military has not specified how it plans to strengthen its air defense system or what new weapons are under consideration to be deployed on its western border, Qazi said.
"We've never looked at the western border as a place where we expect any aggression," Qazi said. "After what happened, we have to do something to avoid such a thing from happening again."
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The NATO airstrikes on November 26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers have strained relations between Islamabad and Washington.
The United States has insisted that the attack was not deliberate and expressed regret over the deaths of the soldiers.
But in the aftermath of the attack, the Pakistani government has shut down NATO supply routes through Pakistan, boycotted a conference on the future of Afghanistan and also asked the United States to vacate an air base on its territory.
The attack prompted widespread outrage in Pakistan, and the military is conducting an investigation.
Meanwhile, Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday left an intensive care unit at a Dubai hospital and is recuperating after what aides called a regular medical checkup.
There are rumors that the president suffered a heart attack, but a spokesman said those reports were false.
Reports about the president's health have fueled speculation about whether he might step down.
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