London: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani
on Sunday acknowledged that US-Pak ties had plunged to level that
they "did not trust each other" as he did not rule out closing
Pakistan`s airspace to the US.
Ties between Washington and Islamabad, which have long
been strained by the US-led military campaign against
militants in Afghanistan, has plunged following a cross border
air strikes on November 26 that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
Gilani underlined the need for Pakistan and the US to
reduce the trust deficit between them.
"Yes there is a credibility gap, we are working together
and still we don`t trust each other," Gilani said.
"I think we have to improve our relationship so that...
we should have more confidence in each other," he was quoted
as saying by BBC.
Discussing his country`s relationship with the US in
in an interview to BBC, he refused to rule out closing
Pakistan`s airspace to the US.
An angry Pakistani leadership had halted all supply
convoys to Afghanistan through its border region and set
December 11 as the deadline for the US to vacate Shamsi
airbase, reportedly used by CIA-operated drones that target
militants in the country`s restive tribal belt.
Gilani said Pakistan may continue its blocking of NATO
convoys into Afghanistan for several weeks.
US-led NATO forces has apologised for the air strikes,
calling them a "tragic unintended incident".
The Pakistan Army today took over Shamsi airbase in the
country`s southwest after it was vacated by US forces in line
with a deadline set by the government.
The last flight carrying US personnel and equipment had
departed from Shamsi airbase in Balochistan province and the
facility had been "completely vacated" by the Americans, the
Inter-Services Public Relations said in Islamabad.
Much of the gear and at least five drones were
transferred to Afghanistan. Over 70 Americans were based at
Shamsi, media reports said.
PTI
