Pakistan and the US are on the verge of a ‘breakthrough’ to end the stalemate in their strained relations and for that, a formula to tax every NATO container crossing into Afghanistan through the Pak-Afghan border has almost been agreed upon by the two countries and in case of a likely announcement in this regard later this month, the halted supplies to US-led foreign troops through Pakistani soil would be resumed. In its reaction to November NATO airstrikes in Mohmand Agency that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, Pakistan suspended the US/NATO supplies bound to Afghanistan. In addition to that, Pakistan also got Shamsi airbase vacated from CIA and boycotted the Bonn Conference on peace and security in Afghanistan.
However, the ongoing secret efforts by Islamabad and Washington, including the recent visit to Doha by ISI chief Lt General Ahmed Shuja Pasha to meet senior US military officials, have paid dividends and a breakthrough is likely.
“In the next few days, important developments are likely to take place with US coming up with public apology for the killing of Pakistani soldiers in NATO strikes, assurance of no breach of Pakistan’s sovereignty again and also that smooth flow of money under Coalition Support Fund (CSF) to Islamabad would be ensured,” said a Pakistani official requesting anonymity.
“In order to resolve the thorny issue of NATO supplies’ suspension, the US is likely to start paying tax to Pakistan for every container meant for Afghanistan,” he said. He said Pakistan would levy around $1,500 dollars on every shipping container that would be sent through Pakistani soil. He added that there would be separate charges for every fuel tanker that would go to Afghanistan through Pakistan.
Another Pakistani official said the move to tax the NATO containers would be under the revision of pacts that were clinched back in 2002 by the government of former president Pervez Musharraf and the Bush administration.
He said another important aspect of the breakthrough in Pakistan-US relations was related to Afghanistan, where the US was making hectic efforts for direct peace talks with the Taliban, besides dialogue between Kabul and the Taliban.
“The US will recognise Pakistan’s main role of facilitator in the reconciliation process with the Taliban that has been Islamabad’s longstanding demand. This is second important aspect of the expected breakthrough in Pakistan-US ties,” the official said.