Pakistan to get Shamsi base vacated by Dec 11: PM

Pakistan

Pakistan to get Shamsi base vacated by Dec 11: PM

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PM Gilani on Wednesday said Pakistan will have Shamsi airbase vacated by December 11.

30 November,2011 03:10 pm

The Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) on Saturday asked the US to vacate Shamsi airbase in Balochistan province hours after the NATO fighter jets and helicopters bombed two border posts in Mohmand tribal region and killed 24 soldiers.The US has been using the airbase for nearly 10 years for military operations in Afghanistan and spy aircraft strikes in the tribal regions.The US will vacate the airbase by December 11, Prime Minister Gilani told reporters in Karachi. He said Pakistan has sent a formal letter to the US to vacate the airbase.The government has also closed supply line for US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan as a protest to the strikes and decided to boycott the next week Bonn Conference on the future of Afghanistan.Gilani said Afghan President Hamid Karzai called him on Tuesday and called for a review of the decision of Bonn Conference boycott but he said, Pakistan cannot put at risk its own security for Afghanistan.I had told President Karzai that Afghan soil was used for attack on Pakistan and we are protesting over the attacks, he said.Pakistan wants a guarantee for its security, Gilani said, adding that Afghan President argued that the US and NATO had carried out the attack on Pakistani posts and Afghanistan had not been involved.Bonn Conference will be held for Afghanistans security but who will guarantee our security in view of NATO strikes, the Prime Minister asked.We cannot attend Bonn Conference unless we get guarantee of respect for our sovereignty, independence and security, Gilani said when asked about international appeals to Pakistan to change its boycott decision.German Chancellor Angela Markel and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton regretted Pakistans decision and asked for its review.