No agreement on reopening of communication ground lines

[Shah-i-Kot]

http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report...-lines_1688772


No agreement on reopening of communication ground lines

Published: Monday, May 14, 2012, 22:19 IST


US has not reached any agreement with Pakistan on the reopening of ground lines of communication, which were shut down in November following killing of 24 Pak soldiers due to a NATO cross border fire, the Pentagon said today.
It added that progress has been made on the talks in this regard which are still ongoing between the two countries.
"No agreement has been reached, but we do hope that this issue is resolved soon," the Pentagon Press Secretary, George Little, told reporters during an off-camera news conference.
"Discussions with our Pakistani counterparts are continuing," he added.
The issue also came up for discussion when General John Allen, Commander of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan, met Pakistani army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani in Rawalpindi last week.
"I think the recent discussions with the Pakistanis have been very productive. They have been candid and both sides understand...the major challenges that we both confront," he said, but quickly added that there is no deliverables coming out of these discussions.
"But the discussions showed...we believe that we are reaching the point of greater equilibrium as we move ahead with our relationship with the Pakistanis," he said.
Responding to a question on reopening of the ground routes, Little said the two countries are making progress on this particular issues.
"It remains very important to us to reopen the ground lines of communication," Little said.

[Shah-i-Kot]

'Govt can't decide in national interest'

'Govt can't decide in national interest' http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-49...ional-interest


Updated 5 hours ago









LAHORE: Vice Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that the government completely lacked a vision to make any decision in the national interest.

Addressing a press conference here, Qureshi said the National Security Council should reach any decision that was against the aspirations of the nation. "I would advise his party to convene a National Conference on this issue," he added.

He said the Washington believed that at the moment neither the government nor any other political force was potent and this has further contributed to the already strained relations between Pakistan and US.

"The US is also surprised at the fact that although Sherry Rehman is the official ambassador, yet Husain Haqqani was giving the indication of his greater intimacy with the President (of Pakistan)," he claimed, adding it means 'a deal be struck with him (Husain Haqqani)'.

[Breshna]

I hope they stay...shut.

Once they...open

more Afghans will only...die.

May Allah s.w.t block

their supply...lines.

[Shah-i-Kot]

‘Govt must not restore NATO supply routes’

By Our Correspondent
Published: May 15, 2012



Shah Mehmood Qureshi warns of nationwide protests against the govt. PHOTO: EXPRESS/FILE

LAHORE: Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday warned the government against re-opening Nato supply routes to Afghanistan.
The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf vice chairman was talking to reporters at the party’s media office, a week before the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) meets to take a decision.
Qureshi said if the government decided to re-open the supply routes, the PTI would organise a rally in Rawalpindi on May 27 to “kick off a nation-wide protest against the rulers”. The PTI, he said, was also thinking of holding an all parties conference to take a stand against the government.
During the parliamentary debate on the Nato supply lines, the Parliamentary Committee on National Security had recommended some conditions for re-opening the supply routes, said Qureshi. They included an apology from the US for the Salala incident and halting drone attacks, he said, adding “Can the DCC overrule the parliament?”
The former foreign minister criticised the government for a U-turn in its policies. The foreign minister said that if we do not open the supply routes, it would create problems for Pakistan, said Qureshi. The PTI vice chairman also mentioned the finance minister’s statement, while in Washington DC, that Pakistan would not be able to make the budget if the Coalition Support Fund was not released. “Could the government not foresee these problems earlier?” he remarked.
He then said that the minister for defence had said that Pakistan would be violating international conventions if it did not open the supply routes. “Were these conventions not in place when we closed them?” asked Qureshi.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 15th, 2012.




http://tribune.com.pk/story/378828/g...supply-routes/


‘DCC should not decide on Nato supply’


Our Correspondent
Tuesday, May 15, 2012


LAHORE

PAKISTAN Tehreek-e-Insaf Senior Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that Defence Committee of Cabinet (DCC) should not decide on the opening of the Nato supply route unilaterally and decision of parliament should be given importance.

Addressing a press conference at the PTI media office on Monday, the former foreign minister said that the present government lacked vision of making decisions in national interest. He said the National Security Council should also avoid making decisions which were against the people’s will.

Commenting on the statement of Defence Minister that Pakistan would face sanctions if the Nato supply route were not opened, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said “Were these questions not in place when Pakistan blocked the supply route?” He also questioned the decision of President Zardari for not participating in the Chicago Summit and urged him to attend the moot, keeping in view its significance. He also disclosed that the central political committee of the PTI would hold a meeting to work out course of action to protect Pakistan’s national interest in this situation.Qureshi said the absence of any credible and strong government in Pakistan was resulting in tension with the US.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-5-108272-DCC-should-not-decide-on-Nato-supply