United Arab Emirates on Wednesday demanded of Nato to apologise to Pakistan for the deaths of its 24 soldiers in an air strike at its post along the Pak-Afghan border, but denied it sought an extension from Pakistan to extend the deadline to vacate Shamsi Air Base.
The Foreign Minister of UAE Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, who recently returned from an unscheduled visit to Pakistan to meet its leadership, dispelled reports of any discussion regarding the vacation of an air base near Quetta. The base is allegedly being used by the American CIA for a clandestine drone programme inside Pakistan and there have been reports that the Shamsi air base was under the use of the government of UAE. Neither the UAE government has ever confirmed or denied about ownership of the base.
"The UAE did not talk about the Shamsi air base, nor the Pakistan side talked about it," the UAE Foreign Minister told reporters from 43 countries through an interpreter. He said if Nato was using any of the facilities in Pakistan it was for both the sides to discuss it. The UAE Foreign Minister said his country was following up closely on the happenings in Pakistan as it has deep historic ties.
He described his meetings with President Asif Ali Zardari and General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani as "very important" and regretted the loss of 24 innocent lives and injury to 14 soldiers in the attack. He said, "This is a mistake that we cannot accept. Anyone who loves Pakistan cannot justify it." He also asked for an investigation into the incident and asked that assurances must be given that there was no such repetition.
Pakistan's highest decision making body - the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, in its meeting had asked the Nato to vacate the Shamsi Air Base within five days, and also placed a halt on military supplies passing through Pakistan, for the Nato forces based in Afghanistan.
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