Washington: Two key senators are suggesting that the US take a harder line with Pakistan after the Pakistani government closed its border crossings with Afghanistan and demanded that the US vacate a drone base.
Pakistan acted after NATO airstrikes on Saturday allegedly killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at two posts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier.
Jon Kyl of Arizona, the Senate's No 2 Republican, says "tough diplomacy" is needed and US aid must be contingent upon Pakistan's cooperation in fighting al Qaeda.
His Democratic counterpart, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, cites "the incompetence and corruption" in Afghanistan and "complicity" in Pakistan.
Their comments on "Fox News Sunday" are evidence of Pakistan's relationship with the US and Congress, which approves billions of dollars in military and civilian aid for Islamabad.
Bureau Report
First Published: Monday, November 28, 2011, 10:56