ali ahmad
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ISLAMABAD - NATO efforts aimed at seeking transit facilities for its arms and ammunition and other equipment from Pakistan have received a setback as Islamabad has refused to allow the operation of its liaison office at one of Pakistani airports.
Pakistan had earlier received a draft agreement from NATO that sought transit facilities for arms and ammunition as well as other equipment meant for its troops deployed in Afghanistan through air, sea and land routes.
After days of thorough review, Islamabad has turned down NATO request for the operation of its liaison office at one of Pakistani airports, said the diplomatic sources here on Thursday.
This decision has been taken after consultations between the foreign ministry officials, defence authorities and other relevant quarters, they said.
Islamabad has also refused to extend immunity to the NATO troops during their transit stay in Pakistan on the pattern of one extended to the diplomats despite NATOââ¬â¢s insistence, a source said.
ââ¬ÅWhat NATO aims at is an agreement with Pakistan on same lines that it has with the ISAF troops stationed in Afghanistan but Islamabad is reluctant to extend same sort of logistic support to it,ââ¬Â he said.
NATO has also requested that its troops should be allowed to carry weapons during their stay in Pakistan on way to Afghanistan but that too has been turned down, the source said.
According to sources, the major reason behind Pakistanââ¬â¢s refusal to extend those facilities to NATO was the allied troopsââ¬â¢ success to establish its own systems on Afghan soil.
ââ¬ÅThe situation today in Afghanistan is much different from the early days of US attack on the neighbouring country to dislodge the Taliban government,ââ¬Â a source said.
He said although Pakistan was willing to extend transit facility for NATOââ¬â¢s military equipment, food items and medicines through its land, space and sea routes yet its denial to some other requests by the transatlantic organization was a setback to the proposed transit agreement.
http://nation.com.pk/daily/dec-2006/22/index6.php
Pakistan had earlier received a draft agreement from NATO that sought transit facilities for arms and ammunition as well as other equipment meant for its troops deployed in Afghanistan through air, sea and land routes.
After days of thorough review, Islamabad has turned down NATO request for the operation of its liaison office at one of Pakistani airports, said the diplomatic sources here on Thursday.
This decision has been taken after consultations between the foreign ministry officials, defence authorities and other relevant quarters, they said.
Islamabad has also refused to extend immunity to the NATO troops during their transit stay in Pakistan on the pattern of one extended to the diplomats despite NATOââ¬â¢s insistence, a source said.
ââ¬ÅWhat NATO aims at is an agreement with Pakistan on same lines that it has with the ISAF troops stationed in Afghanistan but Islamabad is reluctant to extend same sort of logistic support to it,ââ¬Â he said.
NATO has also requested that its troops should be allowed to carry weapons during their stay in Pakistan on way to Afghanistan but that too has been turned down, the source said.
According to sources, the major reason behind Pakistanââ¬â¢s refusal to extend those facilities to NATO was the allied troopsââ¬â¢ success to establish its own systems on Afghan soil.
ââ¬ÅThe situation today in Afghanistan is much different from the early days of US attack on the neighbouring country to dislodge the Taliban government,ââ¬Â a source said.
He said although Pakistan was willing to extend transit facility for NATOââ¬â¢s military equipment, food items and medicines through its land, space and sea routes yet its denial to some other requests by the transatlantic organization was a setback to the proposed transit agreement.
http://nation.com.pk/daily/dec-2006/22/index6.php
