North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) has asked Pakistan on Tuesday how long it wants some 1,000 medics, engineers, and helicopter support crews to stay in the country helping with earthquake relief efforts.

The western alliance sent some 1,000 troops, after Islamabad requested help following the October 8 disaster, which killed more than 73,000 people in AJK, NWFP.

The Nato contingent has a mandate to stay until February 4. Opposition politicians have seized on the troops' presence to stir controversy and anti-western sentiments.

Copyright Reuters, 2005