Cabinet Convenes Meeting to Decide on Nato Supply Reopening

Cabinet Convenes Meeting to Decide on Nato Supply Reopening

Islamabad: (Friday, May 11, 2012) The Federal cabinet is expected to meet next week to mull over reopening the NATO supplies to Afghanistan, sources said today.

The meeting, expected to convene on coming Tuesday, will also discuss how and whether to mend relations with the United States in time to get an invitation to the Chicago summit later this month.

Prime Minster Yousaf Raza Gilani has also confirmed his participation in the meeting of the defence committee of the cabinet from London where he is presently on a six-day official visit.

Pakistan suspended the NATO supplies after closing the Afghanistan border in reply to the US attacks on Salala check posts that rendered 24 Pakistani soldiers martyred on November 26 last year. The event led to the creation of
a major crisis in Pakistan-US relationship that was still reeling from the raid on May 2 last year that killed Osama bin Laden.

Though the US officials expressed regret over the incident, but they stopped short of appologising for the deaths that, according to their own investigation, stemmed from mistakes made on both sides of the border.

Sharing details of the meeting, a senior government official said, “A meeting of the defence committee of the cabinet has been convened on May 15. It will be followed by cabinet meeting on May 16.”

Another official, while telling the details, said, “The meetings will discuss whether Pakistan should reopen the NATO supply route or not, and if Islamabad should attend the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago.” To him, these were
rather serious issues which needed in depth discussions.

The talks will be chaired by PM Gilani, to be attended by Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, ISI chief Zaheer ul Islam as well as Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar along with defence and interior ministers.

Speaking in this backdrop, a senior government official said, “This is an important meeting and it will decide about the future of Pakistan-US relations.”

Despite the reports that both Pakistan and USA are on the verge to strike a breakthrough, the official, however, declined to say publically when the NATO supplies were expected to resume.

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Posted by Fayyaz Yaseen on May 11 2012. Filed under Latest News, Pakistan, USA, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry