Pakistan parliament approves proposals on US ties

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan's parliament has unanimously approved new guidelines for the country's troubled ties with the United States on Thursday, in what could be an important step in putting relations back on track.

Washington has been eagerly awaiting the results of the parliamentary review, saying it will be key to reopening supply lines to NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan. Islamabad closed the supply lines in November to protest U.S. airstrikes that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on the Afghan border.

The new guidelines call for an end to U.S. drone strikes, but also stated that the supply lines should be reopened, albeit with a higher fee charged to U.S. and NATO forces.

Parliament approved them late Thursday in a vote.

The government will now formulate policy based on the guidelines.