Islamabad, Nov 30: Noting that “time has come to review our relations”, Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Tuesday said Americans have been issued a notice to vacate Shamsi airbase in line with the cabinet's decision after the cross-border NATO attack that killed 24 soldiers.
She said the US has been asked to leave Shamsi airbase in Balochistan province within 15 days.
Describing the NATO attack on border posts in Mohmand Agency as a breach of Pakistan's sovereignty and a violation of international law, Khar said, “The time has come to review our relations”.
Numerous reports have said that Shamsi airbase, which was leased to the United Arab Emirates by Pakistan in 1992, is used by CIA-operated drones.
Angered by Saturday's cross-border air strike, Pakistan asked the US to vacate the airbase and shut down all NATO supply routes.
Khar told state-run PTV that Pakistan had supported the world community in the war against terrorism and made “great sacrifices”.
Pakistan's positive cooperation must be recognized at the international level and not taken as its “weakness”, she said. The country's sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected at all cost, she said.
The people and the government will not tolerate incidents like the NATO attack in future, she said. “We don't want any aid or assistance but we want to live with dignity and honour,” she added.
Demanding “complete clarity” from the international community about Pakistan's sovereignty, Khar said the country wanted to move forward with honour and dignity.
She said it was up to “Pakistan's political forces to evolve a future strategy keeping in view the current situation”. PTI
