A man calls for help near a convoy of NATO vehicles
carrying
supplies to Afghanistan, after they were set
ablaze on outskirts
of Islamabad, June 9. Militants attacked and torched
a convoy
of about 50 tankers and containers.
The Nation, Pakistan
Eliminate All NATO
Convoys Through Pakistan
"The
U.S. presence in Pakistan, with its covert operatives and NATO supply convoys, pose
the most direct threat to this country. They provide a motive for extremist
recruitment and behave in an imperial fashion, disregarding the laws of the
land and often directly killing innocent Pakistanis along the way."
THE attack on a NATO tanker convoy
on Tuesday points once again to the threat to Pakistan and its citizens posed by
the U.S.-led “war on terror.” NATO tankers have been targeted consistently by opponents
of the war, yet the government has made no attempt to halt the menace to convoys
that constantly threaten ordinary Pakistanis as they cross the country toward Afghanistan.
Furthermore, with the loads they carry, the convoys add to the destruction of Pakistan's
road network. But even on this score, the government has failed to obtain
compensation. Even more threatening is the fact that the cargo includes not
only highly-inflammable fuel but dangerous weapons systems.
The result of all this was
most visible on Tuesday because of the scale of the attack and its proximity to
the capital, Islamabad. Which brings up another issue: why has the government permitted
NATO to put terminals for their dangerous convoys so close to populated and sensitive
areas? After all, Sangjanin, where the terminal is located, is only 30 miles
southwest of Islamabad and close to Rawalpindi and hence the military's General
Headquarters. This reflects a reckless approach by the government to the lives
of citizens.
Of course, the U.S. has
called for action against people it refers to, along with [Interior Minister] Rehman
Malik, as “Punjabi Taliban.” But the fact is that the U.S. presence in Pakistan,
with its covert operatives and NATO supply convoys, pose the most direct threat
to this country. They provide a motive for extremist recruitment and behave in
an imperial fashion, disregarding the laws of the land and often directly
killing innocent Pakistanis along the way.
Posted
by WORLDMEETS.US
Furthermore, the United
States has permitted India unfettered access to Afghanistan and through it, Pakistan.
The result has been massive supplies of weapons and money from India to all kinds
of militants in Pakistan. It's time Islamabad overcomes its fear and takes up
the issue of India with the United States. However, more importantly, it's time
for the government simply to halt NATO supply convoys through Pakistan. Earlier,
NATO made much of its shifting of convoys to Central Asia - but clearly, this hasn't
occurred. The issue isn't simply the money we may be receiving, although on
that count one can be sure NATO is shortchanging us, but the direct threat
these convoys pose to Pakistani lives as they pass through the length and
breadth of the country.
Since September 11, 2001,
successive Pakistan governments have ignored and often knowingly sacrificed the
lives of citizens simply to further U.S. and NATO interests - unarmed drones
being a prime example. Even the moving of our forces from the eastern front, where
India continues to pose a threat, to the Pak-Afghan border, was done under
pressure from the United States. It's time to reverse this trend and take immediate
steps to end access to Pakistan for NATO supply convoys.
