ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said on Friday that the opening of the Nato supply route was not only in the interest of Pakistan but also of benefit to Afghanistan.

In an interview, Khar said it was in the interest of Pakistan that Afghanistan remained peaceful and stable.

The stability of both countries is interlinked, she observed.

She said the fundamental cause leading to difficulties in ties between Pakistan and US was the trust deficit due to different incidents.

She said Pakistan had made it clear that crossing its red lines by the US was not acceptable.

Khar said Pakistan had taken a stand in the aftermath of the Salala checkpost incident and that it had refused to go to the Bonn conference.

The minister urged that with the settlement of a difficult issue between Pakistan and the US, there was an opportunity to build ties with America.

“We should use the opportunity and should not let it go.”

Khar said the process of engagement between Pakistan and the US had been in a state of pause.

Earlier, she said that Pakistan-US ties had been shrouded in non-transparency but that the Pakistani government wanted to remove it once for all.

She said the government and the people of Pakistan were on the same page on the issue of relations with America.

Khar said the government had reiterated its position that drone attacks were counter productive and against Pakistan’s sovereignty.

The minister said that the American position on drone strikes was that it would continue the operations as it believed there were terrorists on the ground.

“We need to work on various anti-terrorism tools and coordinate our strategies.”

Khar said it was not enough that the two countries only continue to state their positions as there was a need to move forward.

She said the government had taken decisions in accordance with the guidelines provided in the parliament’s resolution.