Pakistan approves guidelines on U.S.

Pakistan’s parliament unanimously approved new guidelines in its troubled relationship with the United States on Thursday, a decision that could help reopen supply lines to NATO troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

The guidelines allow for the blockade on U.S. and NATO supplies to be lifted but also call for an immediate end to U.S. drone strikes against militants on Pakistani soil. The lawmakers did not make a halt in the Cia-led missile attacks a prerequisite to reopening the supply lines.

The U.S. State Department expressed respect for the Pakistani parliament’s decision, spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.