Top US military commander General James Mattis has said he will be visiting Pakistan in the next 10 days to discuss the reopening of Nato supply routes.
Testifying at a hearing of the US Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, Gen Mattis said that the US did need ground lines through Pakistan, and said he would be meeting Pakistani officials on his trip there in 10 days. The US is currently sending supplies to Afghanistan partly by air, sea and through the Northern Distribution Network, Gen Mattis said.
Talking about Pakistan’s pending parliamentary review of bilateral relations, Gen Mattis said that he remained optimistic that they would make progress. Relations remain tense between both countries following a Nato airstrike on November 26, last year that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Gen Mattis said that cooperation with Pakistan continues on the Pakistan-Afghan border, even after the Nato airstrikes. While there is still friction, standard operating procedures have been exchanged in border operations with Pakistan, he added.
In response to a question on Pakistan controlling the flow of ammonium nitrate, used to make improvised explosive devices, Gen Mattis said that while it has been an area of frustration, the US has had serious dialogue with Pakistan on the subject.
“[Pakistan] has passed laws to enable the [authorities] to make arrests they could not make before and have put together a counter-IED strategy,” the general said, adding that he was optimistic about progress in this regard.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 7th, 2012.
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Afghanistan,is a country of Taliban, 9/11 happened,Taliban stood responsible, they were attacked and defeated,United States conquered the country, made with hills and stones.
During the longstanding period,secured nothing, on the contrary lost precious lives,where is natural sources?useless idea. , Having seen all,I come to the conclusion that drop seen is not far it happened at some short distance.
There is no fight on religion, We must all stand against the poverty,hungry and starvation. Why we are fighting,it is question mark before us,because we interfere in the matter of others, we want ti rule over the other state which is not our own,we want to rule over the entire world that is not a legitimate right.
Brotherhood is different chapter,please come and study this chapter.
General James Mttis, is coming to Pakistan,welcome,hopes are attributed to the visit,would be fruitful, past is past,should see a head and learn lesson from the past.
failure doesn't pay, The region facing horrible carnage,bloodshed,now must be end,the fight consisting on decades provide no benefit to any stakeholders,must be end,hear the screams of land and the peaks of hills saying stop it please halt otherwise,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Good relations between the two countries are useful not only for them but also in favor of countries of the region,Afghanistan and India Iran as well.
Table talk is better than war, In case,United States have some reservations regarding the Iranian nuclear program it also invited it to the negotiation table and the disputed issue can be resolved peacefully.
United States should provide assistance in regard to the unrest in Balochistan,shouldn't allowed those elements tabling resolution in the congress which is against the integrity of Pakistan.because it is a internal matter of Pakistan. the member of the congress who are author of drafted resolution in fact are committing violation of United States charter,has been okay by the security council and the general assembly.unanimously.
Bilateral relations between the two country must be restored but before this have to see which ways lead to restoration,that is a very important question before the negotiators both of the sides.
Pakistan,on some occasions demanded the States to say sorry on the tragic incident in which 24 military man killed.
According to Pakistan it was not happened as a mistake it was deliberately,because it was well known there was Pakistani outpost and Pakistani soldiers were stationed there .
Despite of it United States insisting on it was mistakenly happened.
According to the considered opinion,Pakistan is justified in its stance,United States should say sorry and paid to the heirs of the bereaved families a compensation that is a right way leading to restoration of the bilateral relations bet ween the two countries who has been ally in the war on terror.since long.