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ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Ahmad Mukhtar said Tuesday that Pakistan should reopen its Afghan border crossings to Nato troop supplies after negotiating a better deal with the coalition.
Pakistan closed the crossings over two months ago in response to American airstrikes that accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at two Afghan border posts.
The closure has forced the United States to spend six times as much money to send supplies to Afghanistan through alternative routes.
Mukhtar told a private TV channel that the government should negotiate new ''terms and conditions'' with Nato, then reopen the border.
He did not provide specific details. But other Pakistani officials have suggested that the government levy additional fees on the coalition for using the route since the heavy trucks cause damage to the roads.
Pakistan's parliament is expected to vote on a revised framework for relations with the US in mid-February that could pave the way for the government to reopen the supply line.
Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said last week that she didn't think it would be much of a problem to reopen the route after the parliament vote.
The defence minister echoed this view, saying ''I think the people who are deciding, who are giving recommendations, will make the right decision.''
