Pakistan denies report of talks with US on use of its airspace for military operations

Pakistan has denied reports that it is in talks with the Joe Biden administration to allow the US to use Pakistani airspace for military operations in Afghanistan. In response to media inquiries on a recent news report implying that the US had formalised an agreement to use Pakistani airspace for military and intelligence activities, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, a government spokesperson, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, a government spokesperson, claimed that no such arrangement had been reached, reported ARY News. Dismissing the news report, Ahmad emphasised that Washington and Islamabad have a long history of collaboration on regional security and counter-terrorism, and the two sides continue to meet on a regular basis. The US plans to finalise the agreement with Pakistan was reported by CNN citing three sources familiar with the details of the classified briefing with Congress members that took place on Friday, October 22. 

Pakistan had reportedly signalled its willingness to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in exchange for aid with its counter-terrorism efforts and help manage its relationship with India, according to a CNN report citing one of the sources. As part of ongoing intelligence-gathering efforts, the US military currently uses Pakistani airspace to reach Afghanistan. However, as of now, there is no official agreement between the United States and Pakistan that would secure continuous access to the vital airspace that Washington requires to reach Kabul. The aviation corridor between Pakistan and Afghanistan may become more crucial once America resumes flights to Kabul to evacuate nationals still trapped in the war-torn country under Taliban rule, according to a US media outlet. 

'Pakistan will partner in peace, not in conflict' 

Earlier in the month of June, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan had emphatically stated that Pakistan will "absolutely not" allow the US to utilise its territory or bases for any type of operation in Afghanistan, reported Dawn citing Axios. "Pakistan had suffered 70,000 casualties as a result of its participation in the American war. More military actions from our land are unaffordable and we will be happy to be partners in peace, not in conflict," he stated.  Following its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the United States has been concerned about the rise of the violent Islamic State (IS) group. In August, the IS-Khorasan chapter claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on Kabul's airport. The group has also claimed responsibility for a series of strikes against Afghanistan's Shia community in the past month, reported Dawn.  

(With ANI inputs)

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