Pakistani PM says parliament to decide NATO supplies restoration

ISLAMABAD, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Friday did not confirm western media reports that his government had decided to restore supplies for U.S.-led NATO forces in Afghanistan and said the parliament will make a decision.

Pakistan shut supply line for foreign forces in Afghanistan in November following a NATO raid on two Pakistani border posts, which killed 24 soldiers.

Gilani told reporters in the eastern city of Lahore that the parliamentary committee on national security had made recommendations about the NATO supplies and the country's future relationship with the U.S., NATO and ISAF.

He said a joint session of the parliament will be summoned soon to hold debate on the issue and to make a final decision. He said the government will fully honor decision of the parliament.

He said former President Pervez Musharraf had accepted all demands by the U.S. only on phone call, but now an elected government will respect sentiments of the people.

The prime minister said the government immediately closed supply line for NATO after its strike on Pakistani border posts. He added that Pakistan also asked American army to vacate from airbase and boycotted the Bonn conference on Afghanistan as protest against the NATO raid.

Section of the media reported on Thursday that Pakistan had decided to reopen the NATO supply line after imposing tax on supplies.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry had also rejected speculative reports that supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan have been restored. "I think it is all speculation,"the spokesman said when his attention was drawn to a report that Pakistan has decided to restore NATO supplies after levying tax on NATO supplies.

A NATO general said in Brussels on Thursday that he is hopeful Pakistan would reopen NATO supply line but did not confirm reports of Pakistan's decision to restore supplies.