Pakistan to reopen NATO supply route on conditions

ISLAMABAD - Defense Minister of Pakistan Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar has said Tuesday that Pakistan would reopen NATO supply lines to Afghanistan after the approval of certain conditions to be put forward by the Pakistani government to the United States, local Urdu TV channel Geo reported.

Pakistan had blocked the NATO supply route to Afghanistan after a NATO cross-border attack at two Pakistani check posts near Pak- Afghan border last November left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead.

The minister did not explained the conditions to be put forward by the government for negotiation, but some unconfirmed reports earlier last month said that Pakistan would impose taxes on NATO tankers for using the country's land route.

Talking to media the Defense minister said that Pakistan is trying to build good relationships with all countries including the United States.

"There should not be any misunderstandings with America, the two countries have enjoyed good ties and it is our duty to mend relations," he said.

Answering a query regarding drone attacks, the minister said the issue of drone attacks is still unresolved and Pakistan would continue raising the issue to the United States.

Earlier talking to media on Thursday, Foreign Minister of Pakistan Hina Rabbani Khar also hinted about the reopening of NATO supply routes in the first half of February.

Addressing a public gathering on December 30, the religious parties in Pakistan had threatened the government that if it decides to reopen the NATO supply route to Afghanistan, they would surround the parliament and will not allow the parliamentarians to move outside unless they change their decision.

According to media reports, nearly 70 percent of the NATO supplies were shipped into Afghanistan via the land route of Pakistan.

The NATO supplies to Afghanistan were first sent to Pakistan's southern port city of Karachi and then transported into Afghanistan for over 140,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan through the two border checkpoints via the land route of Pakistan.