Pakistan denies reports of formal airspace agreement with US

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar has denied reports alluding to formalization of an agreement for the use of Pakistan’s airspace by the United States to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan.

In his statement on Saturday, he said that no such understanding was in place. "Pakistan and the US have longstanding cooperation on regional security and counter-terrorism and the two sides remain engaged in regular consultations.”

Earlier, US media have claimed that the US is nearing a formal agreement to use Pakistan's airspace to carry out military operations in Afghanistan. The Biden administration has told lawmakers that the US is nearing a formalized agreement with Pakistan for use of its airspace to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan, according to three sources familiar with the details of a classified briefing with members of the Congress that took place on Friday morning.

As per reports, Pakistan has expressed a desire to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in exchange for assistance with its own counterterrorism efforts and help in managing the relationship with India. But the negotiations are going on, another source said, and the terms of the agreement, which has not been finalized, could still change.