Former president Gen Pervez Musharraf. - File Photo

ISLAMABAD: The Musharraf government had signed at least nine pacts, some of them secret, with the United States in 2002 to give shape to Islamabad's role in the 'war on terror' after the attacks of Sept 11.

The information came to light on Friday when the ministry of defence placed copies of nine pactsbefore the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS), which is deliberating on review of ties with Washington following last month's Nato attacks on Pakistani positions in Mohmand Agency.

Although the exact nature of the agreements is not known, it is believed that they pertain to intelli-gence sharing, permission to use the country's airspace and allowing Nato to use Pakistan's roads and the Karachi port for carrying supplies for troops in Afghanistan.

'The defence ministry presented nine agreements and the committee will start deliberating on them in its next meeting,' a member ofthe committee said.

In the meantime, the committee sought comments from the finance ministry about financial implications of these agreements.

In its meeting on Dec 8, the committee had asked the government to submit the record of all cooperation agreements with the US, whether written or otherwise.It is for the first time that these pacts would be available to parliamentarians for review.

The envoys' conference, whose recommendations would be considered by the PCNS, had asked for reconsidering and annulling a number of agreements reached during the Musharraf era and reducing reliance on the American aid.

Reacting to the Nov 26 Nato air strikes in which 24 Pakistani soldiers lost their lives, the government had ordered review of the ties with the US, closed down the crucial Nato supply route and ordered vacation of the Shamsi airbase.

Following a meeting of the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, which asked for a complete reviewof arrangements with the US and Nato, the government assigned the task of formulating recommendations for future direction of the testy relationship to the parliamentary committee.

The recommendations will be presented before a joint sitting of parliament. The committee began its proceedings on Dec 2.