Pakistan said Tuesday it would boycott a key international conference on Afghanistan in Bonn, Ger-many, next month, ramping up its protest over the Nato airstrikes that have plunged Pakistan-US ties into deep crisis.
The conference beginning on December 5 is to discuss Afghanistan’s future after the withdrawal of American-led forces and also the dialogue with the Taliban. Foreign ministers from over 90 countries are likely to attend.
The decision was taken after a Cabinet meeting in Lahore, where Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani also said a joint session of Parliament would be called to discuss the Nato attack which killed 26 Pakistani soldiers.
An official said foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar briefed the Cabinet about the Mohmand Agency attack and discussed ongoing diplomatic efforts to highlight the violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. On Monday, President Asif Ali Zardari turned down a request by the UAE to review Pakistan’s decision to order the US to vacate the Shamsi airbase in 15 days. Officials said UAE foreign minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed met President Zar-dari and requested him to review the decision to ask US forces to leave Shamsi.
The Afghan government on Tuesday urged Pakistan to reconsider its boycott decision, saying Pakistan had an “important” role to play in Bonn.
“We regard Pakistan as an important country in the region, we hope our Pakistani brothers will be there,” said foreign ministry spokesman Janan Mosazai in Kabul. He added: “Our Pakistani brothers should remember that Bonn is an Afghan conference, it will be chaired and led by Afghans.”