LAHORE: Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf (PTI), vice-chairman and former foreign minister, Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, has said on Monday that Nato supply route should not be restored unless the Washington gives guarantee to respect the decision of Pakistani Parliament.

"The Government of Pakistan must ensure the country's sovereignty instead of bowing-down before the superpower," he said while addressing a press conference on the issue of the opening of the Nato supply route.

He told the media that there is a general perception in Washington that the incumbent government is not in a position to take any big decision in the current situation.

"The US is taking advantage from the current situation, hence, it is exerting pressure on Islamabad for the restoration of the Nato supply route," he added.

He was of the view that no decision against the country's interest should be taken just to participate in Chicago moot.

According to him, the Nato supply route was blocked by an executive order of the Prime Minister.

Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) had subsequently formulated policy for opening of the supply route, which was approved unanimously by the Parliament.

General Kayani was also reported to have said yesterday, after the tripartite talks in Rawalpindi, that the government would take the decision for opening of Nato supply route

He said, "The situation raises some important questions: Can the Defence Committee of the Cabinet (DCC) overrule the Parliament? "Have the two parliamentary conditions of unconditional apology and cessation of drone attacks for the opening of the Nato supply route been met?

"Reports suggest that Ambassador Sherry Rahman had negotiated a two-tier apology from the US, but Pakistan lost the opportunity due to its indecision.

Foreign Minister Hina Rabani Khar said that if we do not open the supply route, it would create problems for Pakistan.

Could the government not foresee these problems earlier?

"The Minister of Defence said that Pakistan would violate international conventions if we do not open the Nato supply route.

Were these conventions not in place when we closed the supply route? "It is argued that important decisions will be made in the Chicago Summit; therefore, President Asif Zardari should attend the Summit.

Why did Pakistan not participate in the conferences on the future of Afghanistan in Turkey and Germany, where the groundwork for future dispensation in Afghanistan was prepared?

"US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter is leaving Pakistan prematurely, reportedly because of indecision and confusion in Islamabad.

Washington is reportedly also confused on who is the real Ambassador of Pakistan in Washington.

Is it true that although Sherry Rahman is our official Ambassador in Washington, our defecto Ambassador is still Hussain Haqqani because he has the ear of President Zardari? "What is at stake for Pakistan in this situation? Is Zardari's participation in the Chicago Summit and monetary compensation for Nato containers more important than our sovereignty and our pride?"

He said these are the questions that need to be decided by the people and the Parliament, and not the corrupt government.

He urged the DCC not decide on the opening of the Nato supply route unilaterally and added that the central political committee of PTI will hold a meeting on Tuesday to work out modalities to protect Pakistan's national interest in this situation.

"It will be proposed to PTI Chairman Imran Khan to invite a national conference on the issue of opening of Nato supply route," he added.

He also disclosed that the PTI's public meeting on May 27 at Liaqat Bagh in Rawalpindi will be an expression of the public sentiment on this matter.