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Will Pakistan restore NATO supply lines?
A question being frequently asked in Pakistan as to what kind of new ties Pakistan needs to develop with its strategic ally, America, especially after the Salala post attack by US jets that killed 24 soldiers.
Relations between the two allies strained due to several developments last year including the May 2 killing of Osama Bin Laden and stoppage of NATO supply after the Nov. 26 raid.
Since then the issue of Pakistan's relations with the US is being discussed at all levels with demands rising about setting new terms of engagement.
Decision of reviewing foreign policy with US by the Parliament's National Security Committee headed by Sen. Raza Rabbani was revolutionary in the sense that after a long time public representatives were entitled to discuss and decide the future course of action in foreign policy matters.
“Former President Pervez Musharraf was the architect of the present Pak-US relations without consulting institutions but being a responsible democratic government, the present day rulers are in the process of setting new terms and conditions based on national interests," said Akram Zaki, former secretary-general of foreign affairs.
Simultaneously, two-dimensional efforts are on in Pakistan with regard to future strategy concerning relations with the US. On one hand are right-wing political forces that are threatening to resist any effort to restore NATO supplies while on the other, many favor resumption of ties with the US at pre-Nov. 26 level.
A joint sitting of Parliament was scheduled in the first week of February to discuss and approve the new policy recommendations by the National Security Committee but the meeting has been delayed till the third week of this month.
Akram Zaki, while commenting on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar's announcement about prospects of restoring NATO supplies in a week's time, pointed out that both the countries need each other's cooperation in the prevailing geo-political scenario.
For many it's a matter of national security and integrity and they are not ready to support any kind of conditional restoration of supplies. Jamaat Islami Pakistan, that has staged several public rallies also announced it will resist if NATO supplies were restored.
Sen. Ibrahim Khan of the Jamaat said his party believes that the US is the invader in Afghanistan and is also attacking Pakistan, hence, NATO supplies should not be restored.
“We have given our opinion at the National Security Committee meeting. But if the government is considering conditional restoration, that is not acceptable to us at all,” he said.
A question being frequently asked in Pakistan as to what kind of new ties Pakistan needs to develop with its strategic ally, America, especially after the Salala post attack by US jets that killed 24 soldiers.
Relations between the two allies strained due to several developments last year including the May 2 killing of Osama Bin Laden and stoppage of NATO supply after the Nov. 26 raid.
Since then the issue of Pakistan's relations with the US is being discussed at all levels with demands rising about setting new terms of engagement.
Decision of reviewing foreign policy with US by the Parliament's National Security Committee headed by Sen. Raza Rabbani was revolutionary in the sense that after a long time public representatives were entitled to discuss and decide the future course of action in foreign policy matters.
“Former President Pervez Musharraf was the architect of the present Pak-US relations without consulting institutions but being a responsible democratic government, the present day rulers are in the process of setting new terms and conditions based on national interests," said Akram Zaki, former secretary-general of foreign affairs.
Simultaneously, two-dimensional efforts are on in Pakistan with regard to future strategy concerning relations with the US. On one hand are right-wing political forces that are threatening to resist any effort to restore NATO supplies while on the other, many favor resumption of ties with the US at pre-Nov. 26 level.
A joint sitting of Parliament was scheduled in the first week of February to discuss and approve the new policy recommendations by the National Security Committee but the meeting has been delayed till the third week of this month.
Akram Zaki, while commenting on Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar's announcement about prospects of restoring NATO supplies in a week's time, pointed out that both the countries need each other's cooperation in the prevailing geo-political scenario.
For many it's a matter of national security and integrity and they are not ready to support any kind of conditional restoration of supplies. Jamaat Islami Pakistan, that has staged several public rallies also announced it will resist if NATO supplies were restored.
Sen. Ibrahim Khan of the Jamaat said his party believes that the US is the invader in Afghanistan and is also attacking Pakistan, hence, NATO supplies should not be restored.
“We have given our opinion at the National Security Committee meeting. But if the government is considering conditional restoration, that is not acceptable to us at all,” he said.
