CNN) — The Biden administration has told lawmakers that the US is nearing aformalized agreement with Pakistan for use of its airspace to conduct militaryand intelligence operationslinkinAfghanistan, according to three sources familiar with the details of aclassified briefing with members of Congress that took place on Fridaymorning.
Pakistan has expressed a desire to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)in exchange for assistance with its own counterterrorism efforts and helpin managing the relationship with India, one of the sources said. But thenegotiations are ongoing, another source said, and the terms of theagreement, which has not been finalized, could still change.The briefing comes as the White House is still trying to ensure that it cancarry out counterterrorism operations against ISIS-K and other adversariesin Afghanistan now that there is no longer a US presence on the ground forthe first time in two decades after the NATO withdrawallinkfromthe country.[image: Biden promised ISIS-K will ‘pay.’ Having no US troops inAfghanistan makes that harder]
The US military currently uses Pakistan’s airspace to reach Afghanistan aspart of ongoing intelligence-gathering efforts, but there is no formalagreement in place to ensure continued access to a critical piece ofairspace necessary for the US to reach Afghanistan. The air corridorthrough Pakistan to Afghanistan may become even more critical if and whenthe US resumes flights into Kabul to fly out American citizens and otherswho remain in the country. The third source said that an agreement wasdiscussed when US officials visited Pakistan, but it’s not yet clear whatPakistan wants or how much the US would be willing to give in return.
With no formal agreement currently in place, the US runs the risk ofPakistan refusing entry to US military aircraft and drones en route toAfghanistan.link>
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A Pentagon spokesman said the Defense Department does not comment on closedbriefings due to security classifications. CNN has reached out to theNational Security Council and Pakistan Embassy in Washington for comment.link>Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairslink>releaseda statement link saying “no suchunderstanding was in place,” and that “Pakistan and the U.S. havelongstanding cooperation on regional security and counter-terrorism and thetwo sides remain engaged in regular consultations.”
The State Department declined to comment.
