Pakistan denies restoration of NATO supply line

Pakistan Foreign office has rejected speculative reports that supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan have been restored. Pakistan shut supply line for foreign forces in Afghanistan in November following a NATO raid on two Pakistani border posts, which had killed 24 soldiers. Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman, Abdul Basit, described as speculative media reports that Islamabad has decided to open its land route for nearly 150,000 US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan. “I think it is all speculation,” the spokesman said when his attention was invited to a report that Pakistan has decided to restore NATO supplies after levying tax on NATO supplies. Section of media on Thursday quoted an unnamed Pakistani security official as saying that Pakistan is considering to impose new tariff before reopening of the NATO supply route, the spokesman said, “Not yet. I am not aware of any such development.” To a question about the resignation of a Norway’s internal security chief resignation after revealing confidential information that the country had intelligence agents in Pakistan, the spokesman said Islamabad is ‘in touch with the Norwegian Government and are seeking details on this issue’. Janne Kristiansen, head of Norway's Police Security Service tendered her resignation on Wednesday night after mistakenly revealing the existence of agents in Pakistan during a public hearing before the Stortinget or Norwegian parliament. The Pakistani spokesman confirmed postponement of the visit to Islamabad by the US special envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan Marc Grossman. The State Department confirmed this week that Pakistan has asked the US not to send Grossman to Islamabad as the country is still in the process of reviewing future relationship with Washington. “We want Mr. Grossman’s next visit to Pakistan to be productive. It is, therefore, important that he visits Pakistan after we have completed our homework,” Abdul Basit said when asked if Islamabad snubbed the US envoy. The spokesman said Pakistan and the US are engaged at the diplomatic level and taking to each other. “As far as Mr. Grossman’s visit, we want this visit to be productive and result-oriented. It is, therefore, important that he visits Pakistan after we have completed our homework,” he insisted. He said Pakistan’s new ambassador to the US, Sherry Rehman presented her credentials to President Obama on Thursday and in their meeting, they discussed the state of Pak-US relations. “Pakistan wants a relationship with the US that is free from the ups and downs of a rollercoaster. It is our belief that the parliamentary process, which is currently underway to finalize the terms of engagement from our side, will lead to a positive outcome for both our countries”. He said Pakistan is looking for is a relationship that is based on mutual respect and mutual interest. “No inter-state relationship can be built without first mutually agreeing on its fundamentals,” the spokesman said.