The United States plans to use the NATO supply line through Pakistan for years, if not decades, even after the withdrawal of bulk of its troops from Afghanistan to ensure smooth supplies to the proposed American military bases in the war-torn country, but Islamabad has yet to come up with a nod in response to this tough demand by Washington. The NATO supply line, which was blocked by Islamabad soon after NATO airstrikes on its border posts that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers in November last year, is likely to be reopened soon and US Special Envoy Marc Grossman is arriving in the next few days to discuss this vital issue along with other conflicting matters with Pakistani authorities, such as drone attacks. “Generally it is assumed that US would use the NATO supply lines until it withdraws bulk of its troops from Afghanistan for which 2014 has been set as a deadline. However, the US authorities have also conveyed to Islamabad their desire to use these supply lines beyond 2014 so that different vital supplies could be extended smoothly to its proposed military bases in Afghanistan,” said a diplomatic source here on Sunday seeking anonymity. Currently, Pakistan and the US are discussing modalities for the reopening of NATO supplies through the diplomatic channels and conclusive talks on this matter along with related aspects such as taxation to be imposed by Islamabad on NATO trucks, oil tankers and containers when Grossman would arrive later this week. A few days back, the parliament came up with new guidelines on nature of ties with the US and it also banned the supply of weapons and ammunition to Afghanistan through Pakistani soil. “This is a tough demand on part of US and Islamabad has not yet given any response to US on its desire for a prolonged use of NATO supplies that could stretch to several years even after 2014,” the source said. On its part, the US is willing to use the NATO supplies only for food, oil and medicines to Afghanistan and no lethal supplies to the war-torn country and it has conveyed this to Pakistan. “This issue will be discussed with ambassador Grossman and other senior American officials in the coming days and months,” he said. The source said the US also wanted Pakistan to take responsibility of ensuring safety and security of NATO supplies once they resume. “However, this issue too is not yet settled and it will also be discussed at length in the forthcoming Pakistan-US talks,” the source said.
