This was confirmed by US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on Thursday, while talking to reporters.
When asked if it was true that despite the blockade of land routes, Pakistan’s airspace was being used for the Nato supplies, Munter responded: “You are right.”
However, it is believed that although alternate means have kept Nato supplies flowing, the financial cost has been much higher than the land routes.
A Pentagon official was quoted as saying by the US media that the cost of moving supplies into Afghanistan is now $104 million a month – $87 million more than the $17 million it used to cost to transport supplies when the routes were open.
The cost estimate includes the added costs of the combined ground and air movements being used to offset the closed border crossings.
The 512% increase in monthly costs resulted from Pakistan’s shut down of the border crossings at Torkham and Chaman shortly after a Nato air strike on November 26 last year killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at a remote border outpost.
Pentagon officials have said that the closure of the border crossings has not impacted Nato’s military operations inside Afghanistan. But rerouting those supplies has proven costly.
Ambassador Munter insisted again on Thursday that the Nato cross border raid was not deliberate.
“What happened was tragic but unintentional and this is something that we all must work together to try to prevent. The way to work together is to make sure these kinds of tragedies do not take place,” Munter said.
He said the US was looking forward to a debate in the Pakistani parliament over the conservation of Pak-US ties.
“We have waited because we think Pakistan has requested time to rethink about how our relationship should go ahead. We welcome those suggestions, the honesty and the spirit to take things forward.”
Meanwhile, at his weekly briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Abdul Basit said no final decision had been made as yet to reopen the Nato supplies.
“Our parliamentary process is underway. We are awaiting policy directions from our parliament to move forward,” he added.
He also confirmed that the US had kept Pakistan updated on its initial contacts with the Afghan Taliban recently.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2012.
COMMENTS (33)
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Blocking land route NATO supplies was for us to fool but Mr. Munter teasingly informed us that from inside your establishment is with us. Dudes, he spoke truth.
Imran Khan and his Jihadi buddies should float on a mid air dharna to block NATO supply.
Give the Dog a bone and it will wag its tale.
3 F16s given to Pakistan
Our PM has repeatedly said that any such decision will be taken with the approval of Parliament. Therefore, this news is definitely not true!
@SM:
At least you have the part about blood correct. You seem to embrace death where other embrace life. Kind of makes blood really cheap.
@SM: Interesting comment. You don't seem to have any objections when Muslims kill Muslims, what with Pakistanis killing other Pakistanis, Libyans killing other Libyans, Iranians killing Iranians, Somalis killing Somalis, Yemenis killing Yemenis, or Syrians killing other Syrians. What is that body count? Where is the outrage within your own family!! I won't even bring up Muslims killing Christians in Nigeria and Sudan. Disgusting hypocrisy!
@SM: Considering the favorite method of attack appears to be suicide bombing and nobody acknowledging the deaths by militants to Pakistan's own people... Yep, even Muslims themselves believe it to be cheap. They're the ones who established it. Israel's would be considered expensive because they don't ignore repeated abuse. If something happens to Israel, chances are someone is going to pay from one direction or another. If it happens in Pakistan, as it does nearly every day, it's rare anyone even pretends to care.
@delhi belly.....
Please don't hide behind the fact that you guys haven't conducted the plebiscite. Do that first and about the muslim blood being cheap. I think it is cheap in one of the biggest and most secular democracies of the World. Anyways evil people are everywhere, but if the same logic for muslims being murdered in muslim countries is used then how can the silence of major world powers over the issue of Israel-Palestine be justified.
@BlackJack: OK there are shortcomings in Pakistan's policies but you cant deny your role in making Bangladesh, it is an established fact, you cant deny your role in recent times in Afghanistan as you say you are safeguarding your interests there. Balochistan can be compared with Kashmir 20 years ago and even now both have same similarities. Time to time we capture CIA agents, German agents even Norwegian how can you deny all the global conspiracies and Pakistan is the victim and sadly I believe Pakistan at the moment it is just in spotlight even an insect is killed it goes in headlines. It is being overly investigated. Minority killing is also in India dont forget gujarat riots. You had also played games in sri lanka, nepal afghanistan etc It is tit for tat in every respect. The difference is you have good capable prime ministers and democracy which we lacked.
@BlackJack:
everything you have said is correct except the talibinization of pakistan. Yes there is elements of different spy agencies in pakistan trying to destabilize pakistan but that is only going on because pakistan is weak in leadership. I suggest india should look at themselves too, you have a population of more then a billion people with 800,000,000 (official UN statistics) people in the poor and illeterate category, with poor infrastructure, hardly any clean water, corrupt government, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, the military conducting illegal operations in the assam region and in occupied kashmir. A sane person wants justice for all people whether you be white, black, brown etc. Everyone deserves a peaceful and dignified life. Indians and pakistanis need to stop this hatred of one another and start helping their own people. Im speaking as a british white man who lived in mumbai and karachi and fell in love with the beautiful teachings of Islam. Islam taught me justice. I worked for red cross in mumbai and karachi and ive seen the hatred of people just because they of different nationalities. People stop being racist, discriminatory and start living rigteous lifes for all humanity
We shouldn't allow Nato to go through the land of pakistan full stop. They are killing people in afghanistan they are in afghanistan for their geopolitical interests. This government of pakistan is a mafia, and to all the brothers and sisters of india I ask you to stop being childish and open up your minds to whats going on in India. Theres alot of injustice in india, theres alot of injustice in pakistan and theres alot of injustice around the world, everyone who has a ounce of dignity in them will try to better their lives and help others who are being oppressed in which ever way they can. Everyone knows that it is the governments in these 2 countries that are not working in the interests of the majority of people of their countries and instead are filling their own coffers and of other powerful organisations. So please.to both the indian and pakistani people stop the nonsense of bashing eachother because it wont help you one bit, and to the citizens of india, this has nothing to do with islam, if you want to talk about islam first read the Quran and become knowledgable of the religion before speaking about it, we shouldnt talk about a subject if we have no knowledge on it, peace
This is disgraceful if true, until Pakistan, its people and leaders dont get some integrity among themselves, and stop selling their souls for the US dollar they will allways be trampled on and kicked around. You people need to wake up and realise the US is not a friend and never will be. You cant even get an apology from the US for killing your soldiers and you open up your airspace. This is not the way to have a relation with anyone unless you are their stooge.
@HH: India does not rejoice when Pakistan is in pain - but wouldn't mind the satisfaction of saying 'I told you so'. At the same time, we want a peaceful, prosperous, economically stable Pakistan that focuses - yes, for the first time in history - on itself! Try and fix the problems in your country after conducting a thorough root cause analysis. US intervention, NATO killing of soldiers, nose-diving economy, growing extremism (Talibanization), poor relations with neighbors and US, subordinate relationship with allies, intractable Kashmir issue, multiple wars with no positive results, loss of East Pakistan, lack of respect of Pakistanis in other Muslim countries, minority and Shia killings, lack of strategic depth after decades of investment, estrangement of Balochistan - and what do you have to show for it? I suppose everything is blamed on RAW/ CIA/ Mossad etc - you people will never wake up.
I correct a typographical error in my comment above: It should read : "we should NOT allow Nato supplies throgh our space" My apologies folks.
Government must stop playing with public emotions, stop air passage for US/NATO War....
@Pak Centcom:
What do they get for 140 billion per year?
Enjoy my indian friends while it lasts......Relish the misery of Pakistan. It seems there is also a cyber war going on as well.
If we claim to be an honorable nation, we should allow NATO through our space. This makes us a party in the war, which is not ours. Why are we involving ourselves in killing our brethern in Afghanistan. Then we lement that the Afghans don't like us. Let us not misuse our geography.
Please also do not allow the land route n payment as we hear is coming. It is like selling your body for money - it is no better. I say this as a former Ambassador who has served this country for 36 years and more. There is no end to these demands once you slip. This is simple human behavior and nothing else. You earn respect only by standing up on principles.
Alas! nothing honorable can be expected from this government, not that the previous one did any better on this count.
please dont play games with nation
@SM: "Muslim blood is cheap whereas Western and Israeli blood is very expensive." - Problems with muslims....yes muslims....is that you guys love to play victim and use muslim card for all your troubles. You want everybody to take care of you and respect your culture while you continue on your derogatory comments and intolerance on other culture and religion. Yours is the only religion I know which clearly states that if you convert someone to islam you open your door to Jannat. Such is the need to convert and force others to accept you religion and if they dont they are your enemy. And any act non muslim will do is taken as non Islam atrocities against Islam. What about thousand muslims killed by fellow muslims. Look at Iraq where Saddam tortured his fellow countrymen or taliban which treated women inhumanly or in your own country where TTP, no matter who supported or funded, killed nearly 3000 people last year itself. What about those killings ? Why never raise voice against them ?
So what's the complaint now - the American's are wearing out your air?
Munter is thumping Pakistani nose to convey the message "enough of your childishness , now get down to business". Without the use of Shamshi base US is effectively conducting the Drone strikes. Why is there a deafening silence about it?
I don't have a problem with NATO supply lines, I just have an issue with how less they're paying me. NATO economies are in trillions, combined military budgets in hundrends of billions, why cannot they allocate like $ 140 billion per year, and they'll get their money's worth. Trust Me, it's simple economics in a global context.
I don't think Pak. can do more. They taken a principal stand but blocking air space is not possible for Pak. The register their protest iin best possible manner. We must appreciate it and also rational in our approach and don't start expecting any thing which is not possible.
@Ahsan: I do not consider US even a stake holder in Afghanistan, US gets out of Afghanistan stability will reach shortly
He is funniest person.
It is obvious!. our military and Gov. is just playing with emotions of nations
@Ahsan US is not a power player in the region. It is the Super power of the world. If they tell something you have to do it especially a country like Pakistan which depends on US aid to make up for its short fall in budget and which has no significant importance in the world except for its geographical location and booming terror business.Yes India just exists in the region but we do everything in our capacity to protect our national interests like investing in Afghanistan and curbing any ISI influence in that country. FYI we blackmailed Pakistan to give MFN in exchange we raised no objections for free flow of your goods to EU.That is how things work. No money,no Honey.
Mr Ambassador - when do American accept the innocent killings of Americans? There is a double standard for sure - Muslim blood is cheap whereas Western and Israeli blood is very expensive.
@Pakistani US is a power player in the region for some time whereas India physically exists in the region and will keep playing its grimy role in Afghanistan.
If our Establishment can allow Nato Supplies through Pakistan after so many disgraceful incidents, what thing is denying the same establishment (not govt.) to give India the status of "Most Favoured Nation"