NATO has invited Asif Ali Zardari, the Pakistani president, to next week's summit on Afghanistan in Chicago, according to a presidential spokesman.

Tuesday's announcement comes after days of speculation that neighbouring Pakistan had not yet received an invitation to the May 20 meeting meant to focus on the issue of security in Afghanistan.

Asked whether Zardari would indeed accept NATO's invite, the spokesman said the president's decision would be made following a meeting between the defence committee and the president's cabinet.

The meeting between the cabinet and the defence committee will discuss reopening NATO supply lines into Afghanistan closed for nearly six months following a deadly NATO air raid that killed 24 Pakistani solders in the Shamsi air base in November.