Thaindian News

Islamabad, July 17 (IANS) Under fire for intruding into Pakistan and killing Osama bin Laden, the US has promised to respect Islamabad’s sovereignty, the country’s spy chief was quoted Sunday as saying.

Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, who heads the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), said senior US officials had given this assurance, the Urdu daily Jang reported.

Briefing army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani on his one-day visit to the US, Pasha said his talks would remove mistrust between the two countries.

Relations between the two countries, otherwise partners in the so-called war on terror, deteriorated steeply after America’s unilateral killing of the Al Qaeda chief created revulsion in Pakistan.

Pasha met CIA’s acting chief Michael Morell as well as leading Congressmen and officials in Washington.

It was his first trip to the US after Amercian commandos stealthily flew into the Pakistani city of Abbottabad May 2 and gunned down the elusive Osama in his hideout.

Pasha said the US had also agreed to provide information regarding the identity of its personnel posted in Pakistan.

The US was also mulling to restore the suspended $800 million in military aid and equipment - over a third of the more than $2 billion American security aid to Pakistan.

According to the Jang, Gen Kayani expressed satisfaction over the result of Pasha’s visit.

He reiterated that Pakistan would continue its relations with the US on basis of equality, keeping in view the country’s national security and sovereignty.

The US announced last week it was stopping millions of dollars in aid to the Pakistani military following the expulsion of more than 100 US Special Forces trainers by Islamabad.