US cannot provide security within Pakistan. It should be the responsibility of PA or the police to provide security for the transport convoys. The transporters have been asking for better security cover for their convoys, but so far security hasn't been upto the mark for these guys.
Incorrect:
Firstly before making wild accusations please read the NATO CAGE guidelines on "convoy Security" available for download from
CAGE Welcome
Read the guidelines on contractor "convoy security"
Secondly blaming Pakistan is always the easy way out... Nato's malpractices when it comes to hiring contractors for convey security is widely criticised and well known:
FoxNews.com - Reckless behavior of private companies protecting NATO convoys angers Afghans
Furthermore the official process to get
"government security escort" is by submitting a
"Request for Assistance" or
"Official Escort" Request to the
Ministry of Interior in Islamabad.
The convey contractors
"private companies" hired by Nato have never ever made any such requests when the leave Karachi Sea Port to the various dry ports in and around Pakistan until reaching NWFP:
Quote:
Security remained an unresolved issue between the authorities and those transporting consignments for Nato forces in Afghanistan which leave the city ports and pass through the roads of the metropolis in large numbers everyday.
Quote:
They (convoys carrying Nato consignments) move in a regular way like other trade goods, Sindh Home Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan told Dawn in his brief response. The stakeholders, who transport the goods, have never asked for security neither we provided that. So there is no security cover for these particular consignments.
DAWN.COM | Local | Little security for Nato supply convoys
In addition to this list of gross failing, these contractors use open space to hub these containers and tankers containing goods and raw materials worth
100'000's of $, yet there are contractors in pakistan that have specifically designed high security hubs in Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar and Quetta.
Why does NATO not use them?
The Answer: Cheap tendering and what people call in the business "Sub Contracting", the onus of security rests on the shipper not the nation the shipping is going through.
A simple example is
"If Indian mail loses your letter, you had it insured, who do you sue? Indian mail or the city the letter was going to?"
Furthermore it is also largely NATO's fault for not conducting
due diligence on these contractors to see if they have the facilities and ability to store, and safeguard their cargo to and from Pakistan.
Due Diligence: "Due diligence" is a term used for a number of concepts involving either an investigation of a business or person prior to signing a contract, or an act with a certain standard of care. It can be a legal obligation, but the term will more commonly apply to voluntary investigations.
As i said before:
"Just blaming everything on Pakistan is bad practice and is now getting tiresome."
If you still think that the "Pakistani Government" is to blame here then just look at the catalogue of malpractices by private contractors:
According to the US Military Anti Terrorism Trainining Level 1: for DOD contractors:
https://atlevel1.dtic.mil/at/
All private contractors must maintain the highest level of OPSEC:
Operations security (OPSEC) is a process that identifies critical information to determine if friendly actions can be observed by adversary intelligence systems, determines if information obtained by adversaries could be interpreted to be useful to them, and then executes selected measures that eliminate or reduce adversary exploitation of friendly critical information.
So one would assume these contractors carrying high security, military goods worth Millions of $ would exercise discretion and caution?
Exposed Hummers leaving Karachi:
Exposed Hummers entering khyber crossing:
In addition to this, considering the sensitive nature of their cargo, you would assume that these contractors would use secure storage faciliies located around the country "for a cost"...
NATO Containers parked up in the open country close to a trucker stop at Khyber Pass:
NATO military vehicles parked up in an Open space outside Islamabad's Industrial sector:
Consider the fact that these contractors/carriers have not hired any personal security, there is no gated lot nor is there any watch and ward at these areas...
It is like taking candy from a baby...
And that is exactly what happened the following night:
The same convoy in I-Sector in the morning:
All this can be avoided if the OPSEC is good, If NATO conducts due diligence on the contractors and clearly requires prior to siging a carriage contract that all NATO haulage companies will request "official escort" from the MOI and all goods will be kept in secure HUBS such as the following: