The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday demanded NATO apologise to Pakistan for the deaths of its 24 soldiers in an airstrike in Mohmand Agency, but denied it had asked Pakistan to extend the deadline for the US to vacate Shamsi airbase. UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who recently returned from an unscheduled visit to Pakistan, dispelled reports of any discussion regarding the vacation of the airbase near Quetta. The base is allegedly being used by the CIA for a clandestine drone programme inside Pakistan and there have been reports that the airbase was under the use of the government of UAE.
The UAE government has neither confirmed nor denied the claims ever.
