Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Federal Defence Secretary Nargis Sethi claimed on Monday that strategic dialogues between Pakistan and United States had been making headway, including Islamabad’s long-standing demand: the release of Coalition Support Fund (CSF), SAMAA reports.

She said the two countries would soon be signing Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) on the NATO supply and its route.

She was briefing mediamen here after a meeting of Senate’s Standing Committee on Defence and Defence Production.

Sources said the body reiterated its resolve to act as a bridge between civil and military institutions, putting the relationship on sound footings.

She said Pak-US talks on $1.1 billion fund were making headway, however, she said “nothing could be said on release of the payment.”

She said the number of army deployed on borders was double as compared to routine deployment. “We are fighting a battle which doesn’t fall under definition of a war,” she stated.

The defence secretary was dissatisfied with the performance of National Counter Terrorism Authority, and told reporters that new drafts would be prepared to amend the NACTA act. -- SAMAA