Pakistan’s top political and military leadership has finalised a formal accord to regulate Nato supplies through the country’s land routes two weeks after Islamabad lifted a seven- month ban.
The accord, which is to be signed with the US this month, was settled upon at a meeting chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad on Saturday evening.
Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the US Sherry Rehman were among the participants of the high-level huddle.
Ambassador Rehman is expected to travel back to Washington shortly to share the content of the agreement with US authorities before the two sides finally sign it.
Little details emerged about the proposals in the agreement between the allies on the war of terror, but insiders said Pakistan is not willing to extend the supply route facilities beyond 2014, when most of Nato troops are supposed to exit Afghanistan.
Pakistani authorities have also linked an end to drone strikes in the tribal areas with the resumption of supplies, as recommended by a parliamentary resolution on resetting ties with the US earlier this year.
It has been reported recently that Islamabad and Washington are considering an alternate to drone attacks and a breakthrough is in sight.
Presidential spokesperson Farhatullah Babar confirmed that the meeting was held but did not share any details.
“An informal meeting was held but no press release was issued,” was Babar’s brief response when asked for details.
Pakistan resumed Nato supplies through its land routes earlier this month after a blockade in the wake of the November 26 Salala attacks.
Much negotiations later, hardly any conditions were set by Pakistan on the resumption of supplies on July 4 after Washington tendered a ‘soft’ apology for the attacks.
The decision to sign a formal agreement with the US came amid recent lethal attacks on security forces in Gujranwala and Lahore. The resurgence in violence blamed on the Punjabi Taliban is widely reported to be a reaction to the resumption of supplies.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2012.
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