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WASHINGTON: The United States is reportedly nearing a formalised agreement with Pakistan for using its airspace to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan.
A renowned US-based channel cited three sources familiar with the details of a classified briefing with members of US Congress that took place on Friday morning. It stated that the Biden administration has told lawmakers that the US is nearing an agreement with Pakistan for use of its airspace to conduct military and intelligence operations in Afghanistan.
According to the report, a source said 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. The report said the negotiations are ongoing and the terms of the agreement have not been finalised and could still change.
The briefing comes as the White House is still trying to ensure that it can carry out counterterrorism operations against ISIS-K and other groups in Afghanistan as there is no longer a US presence on the ground after withdrawal from the country.
The US military currently uses Pakistan’s airspace to reach Afghanistan as part of ongoing intelligence-gathering efforts, but there is no formal agreement in place to ensure continued access.
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The air corridor through Pakistan to Afghanistan is even more critical if the US resumes flights into Kabul to evacuate American citizens and others remaining in the country.
Another source told the US channel that an agreement was discussed when US officials visited Pakistan, but it remains unclear what Pakistan wants or how much the US would be willing to give in return.
With no formal agreement currently in place, the US runs the risk of Pakistan refusing entry to US military aircraft and drones to Afghanistan. The US Defense Department does not comment on closed briefings due to security classifications.
In July weeks before the evacuation from Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul to the Taliban, President Joe Biden said that the United States would maintain its ability to operate in the country, even if US troops were no longer on the ground.
“We are developing a counterterrorism over-the-horizon capability that will allow us to keep our eyes firmly fixed on any direct threats to the United States in the region, and act quickly and decisively if needed,” he had said.
Pakistan has previously denied providing military bases to the United States. Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are the other two potential options for US for over-the-horizon operations in Afghanistan but would face severe opposition from Russia.
