Islamabad, April 13 -- Religious and political parties in Pakistan have opposed restoration of supply line for US-led NATO forces in Afghanistan.
They strongly condemned the unanimous passage of resolution by Parliament on Thursday, seeking to redefine Pakistan-US relations.
Pakistan has closed the supply route in November after NATO raided Pakistani posts and killed 24 soldiers.
The parliament did not oppose the reopening of NATO supply line but said that arms should not be transported to Afghanistan either through air or land route.
Maulana Sami-ul-Haq, chief of the Defence of Pakistan Council, an amalgamation of nearly 40 groups, said the parliament resolution will not benefit the people of Pakistan who have seen over 40,000 of their fellow citizens dead in this US-led ‘war on terror’ as well as faced the loss of $50 billion in the last four years.
He said the Council's leaders will meet on Sunday to chalk out protest strategy against reopening of the supply line.
Chief of Jamaat-e-Islami, Munawar Hasan also condemned restoration of supply line and said his party will strongly oppose the decision.
Chief of Tehrik-e-Insaf party, Imran Khan also criticized the parliament resolution as merely a continuation of making the Pakistani state play a mercenary role for the US and only the price for this had been jacked up.
Khan pointed out that reopening of NATO line would cause more harm with an increase in terrorism again, more militancy, greater polarization within the country and more economic destabilization.
'The farce of reviving the NATO supply route for non-lethal goods will sustain the US war in Afghanistan as all NATO supplies are for their military's sustenance and war effort against Afghanistan,' he said.
