ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office on Saturday stated that there was no understanding in place with United States for the use of Pakistan airspace by the US to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan. A brief statement of the Foreign Office comes following CNN claim that the Biden administration has told US congressmen that Washington is nearing a formalized agreement with Pakistan for use of its airspace to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan.

“No such understanding was in place. Pakistan and the US have longstanding cooperation on regional security and counter-terrorism and the two sides remain engaged in regular consultations,” said Foreign Office spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad in a brief statement in response to media queries regarding latest news report alluding to formalization of an agreement for the use of Pakistan’s airspace by the United States for its military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan.

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Citing three unnamed sources familiar with the details of a classified briefing with members of Congress that took place on Friday morning, the report further claimed that Pakistan has expressed a desire to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in exchange for assistance with its own counterterrorism efforts and help in managing the relationship with India, adding that the negotiations are ongoing and the terms of the agreement have not been finalized, and could still change.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021