President rejects UAE plea to keep Shamsi airbase

Dunya News

President Zardari has turned down UAE request to put a halt on evacuation of Shamsi airbase.

Pakistan has already given 10 days to clear the base of all US troops and equipment within 10 days. The decision has been taken after the recent deadly attack on the Pakistani security forces by NATO copters.Foreign Minister of United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zeyed Al-Nahyan on Monday called on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr and discussed with him wide range of bilateral issues. The one-on-one meeting of the UAE Foreign Minister with the President was followed by a delegation level meeting.Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs and Senator A. Rehman Malik, Federal Minister for Interior and other senior officials were present during the delegation level meeting in which a whole spectrum of Pak-UAE bilateral relations was discussed.The President told the UAE minister that the matters regarding national security can’t be altered. He said the national security decision taken by the Parliamentary Panel cannot be changed at any cost, sources said.The UAE minister had requested that the airbase may not be evacuated pending inquiry.