Pakistan plots to block NATO supplies once again

Pakistan has decided to link US drone attacks with the NATO supplies to Afghanistan, sources have said.

According to sources, this decision was taken during a high-level informal meeting held at the Presidency, which was chaired by President Asif Ali Zardari and attended by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Army Chief General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, ISI DG Lt. Gen Zaheerul Islam, foreign secretary and Pakistan's ambassador to US Sherry Rehman, reports The Nation.

The meeting discussed technical details of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding that Pakistan and the US are to sign soon. 

Sources said the civilian and military leadership decided to link

US drone attacks with NATO supplies in line with the parliamentary recommendations, which empowers the government to suspend NATO supplies through Pakistan if the US continued with drone strikes.

Likewise, the meeting decided to include rebuilding of highways used by the NATO trucks and that the cost should be borne by the NATO members. These proposals would be taken up with the US authorities to formalise the MoU to streamline NATO ground supplies to Afghanistan, the sources added.

US Embassy spokesman Mark Stroh confirmed progress in realising a MoU between Pakistan and the US for formalising the restoration of NATO supplies. However, he said the MoU has yet to be given a final shape