Pakistan religious parties to oppose NATO supply resumption
January 8th, 2012 - 1:36 pm ICT by IANSIslamabad, Jan 8 (IANS) An alliance of religious parties has said they will oppose any decision of the Pakistani government to restore supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan, Xinhua reported.Leaders of the Defence of Pakistan, an alliance of religious- political parties, speaking at a joint press conference here Saturday, said they would show resistance to any decision to restore supplies to nearly 150,000 forces in Afghanistan.
Last month, Pakistan Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar said the government was considering tax on NATO trucks, indicating a move toward opening of the supply line.
The US and NATO officials in Afghanistan have also expressed the hope that Pakistan will soon restore the supply line.
Pakistan cut off NATO supplies through the country to Afghanistan a day after NATO fighter jets and helicopters killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in an attack on Pakistani border posts Nov 26. Islamabad also ordered the US to vacate the key Shamsi airbase.
The leaders said in a declaration that “The Council condemns and rejects the attempts to reopen NATO supply under cover of the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security.”
“….restoration of supply would simply mean an invitation to attacks and terrorism against Pakistan,” the declaration stated.
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Tags: ahmad, border posts, chaudhry, defence minister, fighter jets, helicopters, invitation, mukhtar, national security, nato forces in afghanistan, nato officials, pakistan defence, pakistani government, pakistani soldiers, parliamentary committee, political parties, religious parties, resumption, shamsi, xinhua