ISLAMABAD: An offer by the United States to apologise ‘ softly’ for the death of 24 Pakistani troops killed in a cross border attack by US forces on a Pakistani security checkpost in November last year, Dawnnews reported.

A meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet has been immediately summoned to tackle the issue.

Ten days remain to the passing of seven months since the closure of Nato supplies after the cross border attack and experts are hoping that the strained relations between the US and Pakistan would be resolved.

Diplomatic sources have said the US has offered a ‘soft low level apology’ over the checkpost attack incident and it is expected to be delivered next week.

Earlier President Asid Ali Zardari held a meeting of ruling coalition parties to discuss and take them into confidence over the issue of nato route resumption.

Relations between Pakistan and the United States have nose-dived after last years incident involving a  CIA contractor Raymond Davis who shot to death two civilians in Lahore ensuing a diplomatic row.

Relations were further strained over the Abbottabad raid in May 2011 that killed al Qaeda leader Osama bin laden.

Pakistan shut off Nato supply routes after a cross border attack by US forces resulted in the death of 24 Pakistani troops at a security check post in Salala near the Pak-Afghan border.