The Islamabad government caused controversy on Tuesday when a spokesperson revealed that Nato had been given permission to fly desperately needed food supplies into Afghanistan using Pakistani airspace, despite a two month blockade on border crossings.
Borders have been closed to Nato forces since last November after 24 Pakistani soldiers were killed when Nato attacked a border post. Ahmed Mukhtar, Islamabad’s defence minister, was quoted as saying the food was allowed to be transported by air freight because it was perishable, but Nato forces have been told not to bring any more supplies to the border. Mukhtar went on to say that any decisions about the reopening of the borders would be undertaken by the Pakistani government.
The move by the Islamabad government follows a series of complaints that have been made by various members of government in the Middle East regarding Pakistan’s refusal to open the border. In January Afghan Finance Minister Dr Hazrat Omar Zakhiwal criticised Pakistan for stopping the shipment of 700 food containers into Afghanistan. According to Zakhiwal Pakistan authorities were holding the containers as they believed they could contain illegal cargo.
Zakhiwel commented during a meeting of the Pakistan-Afghan Joint Economic Commission (JEC) that the delay in allowing the containers into Afghanistan would cause a food shortage in the country in addition to causing a revenue shortfall.
Richard Hoagland, US Ambassador to Pakistan declined to comment on the action taken by the Islamabad government but said that the US Government ‘fully respects Pakistan’s geographical boundaries’.
Hoagland went on to say that the Pakistan government is expected to announce new guidelines regarding bilateral ties in the near future and that US company Boeing will provide Pakistan with five new aeroplanes worth $1.5 billion by 2015.
