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Pakistan 'breakthrough' on US

April 12, 2012

Pakistan's parliament has voted in favor of new guidelines for its relationship with the US. It is being hailed as an encouraging step towards mending the two countries' troubled relationship.

https://p.dw.com/p/14cuR
Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani addresses the Parliament in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Image: AP

Pakistan's parliament unanimously approved new proposals regarding the country's ties with the United States on Thursday, in what could be an encouraging breakthrough in efforts to put the strained relationship between the two parties back on track.

The new guidelines stipulate that American drone strikes should stop, and supply lines should be reopened but with a higher fee applicable to U.S. and NATO forces.

The government now has the task of fleshing out policy using the guidelines. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said in a televised speech that the government would endeavor to enforce them “in letter and spirit.”

Washington has been closely following the parliamentary review, as it is keen for supply lines to NATO in neigboring Afghanistan to be reopened. Pakistan closed them in November after American drone airstrikes on the Afghan border left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead. 

sej/msh (AP, Reuters)