Islamabad, May 2: Pakistan today offered its air space and the use of one of its airfields to 1,600 Dutch troops who are being deployed in Afghanistan.

The offer was made by Pakistan foreign minister Khursheed Mehmoud Kasuri during a meeting with his Dutch counterpart Bernard Bot in Islamabad. Kasuri said that Pakistan would open its air space and provide one of its airfields to the Dutch troops if they needed it.

The Dutch foreign minister said his country would need Pakistan’s help in combating terrorism. The Hague has contributed 1,600 troops for peacekeeping in Afghanistan’s restive Uruzgan province .