A set of 'highly intrusive' demands from the US to facilitate movement of its military personnel deployed in Pakistan, including they be allowed to carry arms and enter and exit without visas, has been rejected by the Pakistan government.
The 11 demands made by the US shocked Pakistan's defence and foreign ministries, The News daily reported.
The 'initial reaction has been a rejection of what are highly intrusive demands from the US', it said.
The demands were made to the Pakistan government through the ministry of defence. The US Embassy here refused to comment on the demands.
The first demand was the US "military and auxiliary personnel" be granted the same status as the technical and administrative staff of the US embassy.
The second was that the personnel should be allowed to enter and exit Pakistan on 'national identification' documents like driving licences and without any visas.
The US also demanded that Pakistan accept the legality of all US licences, including arms licences. This was followed by the demand that all the American personnel be allowed to carry arms and wear uniforms across Pakistan, the report said.
There was also a demand that US criminal jurisdiction should be applicable to the American personnel in Pakistan.
"In other words, these personnel would not be subject to Pakistani law," the daily said.
The other demands included exemption from all taxes, inspection-free import and export of goods and materials, free movement of vehicles and vessels including aircraft without landing or parking fees, exemption from tax payments for selected US contractors, free of cost use of US telecommunication systems and a waiver of all claims for any loss or destruction caused by the American personnel.
The report said similar conditions exist in areas of Japan where the US has military bases and have become a source of major resentment in that country.
The demands were rejected by Pakistan's Defence Ministry, Foreign Office and Law Ministry. One official source, however, said, "this is just the opening salvo of demands and the US can be expected to bargain in order to seek the most critical of these demands."
"Any hesitation or weakness that the US senses on the part of Pakistan will put us on a fatal slippery slope to total submission. This would result in increasing instability in the country."
In recent month, Pakistan has strongly rejected moves by the US to deploy military personnel in the country to carry out strikes against Taliban and Al Qaeda elements in the northwestern areas bordering Afghanistan.
However, a small group of US military trainers will be sent to Pakistan to train the paramilitary Frontier Corps to carry out anti-militancy operations.