Lankan Ranger
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Pakistan's sovereignty must be respected
Pakistan has stopped NATO supplies through Torkham in response to public outcry against brazen NATO helicopters strike on a FC post in Kurram agency that killed three troops and injured three others.
The attacking helicopters strafed Pakistani post on Thursday morning at 5.30 am and then after about four hours. In a cover up statement, NATO has, however, tried to justify the attack on the Mandata Kandeaho outpost as an act of self defence just as they did about the three helicopter attacks last weekend in which more than fifty people were killed.
A Pakistani military spokesman repudiated NATOs claim and said that Frontier Guards at the outpost had fired in the air to indicate to the ISAF helicopters that they have entered into Pakistan airspace. Instead of heeding to the warning, the helicopters fired two missiles destroying the post, he said.
Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani has warned that Pakistan will be constrained to consider other options to protect Pakistans sovereignty if NATO strikes into its tribal areas from Afghanistan did not halt.
Pakistans military has also told NATO leaders in Brussels that if NATO forces continue to mount military strikes inside Pakistan, Islamabnad will no longer be able to ensure safety of ISAF supply convoys.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said we will see whether we are allies or enemies. Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit vowed that Pakistan will protect its sovereignty in all circumstances.
The latest crisis in NATO-Pakistan relations has erupted just a day after Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff had said to have reached a decent understanding with Pak Army chief Generral Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani about last weekends incursions into Pakistan as CIA Director Leon Panetta also held consultations with top Pakistani officials in Islamabad.
An official statement issued after Panettas meeting with President Zardari said any violation of its sovereignty internationally agreed principles is counterproductive and unacceptable. US representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has, however, warned that prolonged closure of NATO supplies will have colossal impact, without elaborating his remark.
Its unfortunate that Pakistan is being kept under constant pressure on one count or the other by the United States and other NATO powers to drift her deeper and deeper into the quagmire of the anti-terror war even to the risk of its internal peace and security. There can hardly be two opinions about the fact that the Afghan war is detested by all sections of the Pakistani people.
From the National Assembly to the ordinary man in the street it is opposed as it has proven to be detrimental to Pakistans interests. It has not only ruined its economy, but has also made it endure suicide bombings, bomb explosions, sabotage and sectarian violence that have killed thousands of people since the US invasion of Afghanistan.
Pakistan is facing Talibans revenge for its support to the US in the anti terror war on the one hand and is facing military incursions of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan into its territory. Instead of appreciating its sacrifices, Pakistan has to rather face pressure to do more.
Drone attacks have been intensified inside Pakistani territory by the Obama administration inflicting heavy casualties. And now the NATO helicopters have not only started intruding into Pakistans airspace, but also are attacking Pakistani check posts killing soldiers.
The decade of Pak-US partnership in the war against terror has proven to be devastating for the Pakistani people, who have exhausted their patience with the United States due to its policies negating Pakistans national interests.
At the same time, the policy of appeasement pursued by Pakistani leaders especially Gen Pervez Musharraf towards Washington has, in fact, emboldened the NATO to act whimsically and unilaterally. Pakistan has, therefore, taken the right step to block the supply line for NATO forces in Afghanistan.
It represents the sentiments of the Pakistani people, who have long suffered death and destruction due to US intervention in the neighbouring country. Its hoped that the supply will be restored only if the NATO tenders apology for violating Pakistans sovereign airspace and gives solemn assurances that there shall be no recurrence of such incidents in future.
The nation is already outraged at continued US drone attacks that are killing scores of people every week. Enough is enough.
Its time to make the US and NATO understand that they should not take Pakistan casually as their operations in Afghanistan are squarely dependent on its logistical cooperation and support. Washington ought to know that even for its honourable exit from Afghanistan, it needs Pakistans cooperation and support.
The voices in Washington that the US should look for alternate route are welcome. It will be rather blessing in disguise for Pakistan that has suffered unprecedentedly as a result of its support to the US in the invasion of Afghanistan. It will hopefully spare her of the Talibans wrath as well since they are targeting Pakistan primarily for this very reason. Ends.
There is no reason for the United States or NATO to launch direct attacks on Pakistani soil. Islamabad has repeatedly asked for intelligence sharing and drone technology and offered to act against the militants.
It has, in fact, acted in some cases. Pakistans armed forces have, in fact, amply proven their ability to deal with the forces of terrorism through their operations in Swat and South Waziristan, which have since been cleared of militants.
The two areas are now under full control of Pakistans law enforcement agencies with governments writ prevailing. The achievements on this count have been internationally acclaimed.
Both George Bush and Barak Obama have not pursued the right strategy. They needed to follow President Reagan, who got the Soviet Union defeated and forced it to vacate its aggression in Afghanistan without committing the US troops.
The US, however, opted to launch the aggression against Afghanistan on the pretext of Al-Qaida because it has obvious political and military designs in Central Asia for which it wants effective control over Afghanistan. It is, however, evident that Washington can never gain hold over Afghanistan in. It has been able to secure the area of only Kabul airport in about ten years war against the Afghan people.
The US political and military leaders had seemingly not studied the Afghan history before launching the invasion. Had they done so, they would have known the Afghan peoples determination, ferocity and will to defend their freedom.
Irrespective of US tactics, the ground reality is that the US and NATO forces are sinking in the swampy killing fields of Afghanistan. The defeat is rather staring in their face.
Pak sovereignty must be respected
Pakistan has stopped NATO supplies through Torkham in response to public outcry against brazen NATO helicopters strike on a FC post in Kurram agency that killed three troops and injured three others.
The attacking helicopters strafed Pakistani post on Thursday morning at 5.30 am and then after about four hours. In a cover up statement, NATO has, however, tried to justify the attack on the Mandata Kandeaho outpost as an act of self defence just as they did about the three helicopter attacks last weekend in which more than fifty people were killed.
A Pakistani military spokesman repudiated NATOs claim and said that Frontier Guards at the outpost had fired in the air to indicate to the ISAF helicopters that they have entered into Pakistan airspace. Instead of heeding to the warning, the helicopters fired two missiles destroying the post, he said.
Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani has warned that Pakistan will be constrained to consider other options to protect Pakistans sovereignty if NATO strikes into its tribal areas from Afghanistan did not halt.
Pakistans military has also told NATO leaders in Brussels that if NATO forces continue to mount military strikes inside Pakistan, Islamabnad will no longer be able to ensure safety of ISAF supply convoys.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said we will see whether we are allies or enemies. Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit vowed that Pakistan will protect its sovereignty in all circumstances.
The latest crisis in NATO-Pakistan relations has erupted just a day after Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff had said to have reached a decent understanding with Pak Army chief Generral Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani about last weekends incursions into Pakistan as CIA Director Leon Panetta also held consultations with top Pakistani officials in Islamabad.
An official statement issued after Panettas meeting with President Zardari said any violation of its sovereignty internationally agreed principles is counterproductive and unacceptable. US representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke has, however, warned that prolonged closure of NATO supplies will have colossal impact, without elaborating his remark.
Its unfortunate that Pakistan is being kept under constant pressure on one count or the other by the United States and other NATO powers to drift her deeper and deeper into the quagmire of the anti-terror war even to the risk of its internal peace and security. There can hardly be two opinions about the fact that the Afghan war is detested by all sections of the Pakistani people.
From the National Assembly to the ordinary man in the street it is opposed as it has proven to be detrimental to Pakistans interests. It has not only ruined its economy, but has also made it endure suicide bombings, bomb explosions, sabotage and sectarian violence that have killed thousands of people since the US invasion of Afghanistan.
Pakistan is facing Talibans revenge for its support to the US in the anti terror war on the one hand and is facing military incursions of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan into its territory. Instead of appreciating its sacrifices, Pakistan has to rather face pressure to do more.
Drone attacks have been intensified inside Pakistani territory by the Obama administration inflicting heavy casualties. And now the NATO helicopters have not only started intruding into Pakistans airspace, but also are attacking Pakistani check posts killing soldiers.
The decade of Pak-US partnership in the war against terror has proven to be devastating for the Pakistani people, who have exhausted their patience with the United States due to its policies negating Pakistans national interests.
At the same time, the policy of appeasement pursued by Pakistani leaders especially Gen Pervez Musharraf towards Washington has, in fact, emboldened the NATO to act whimsically and unilaterally. Pakistan has, therefore, taken the right step to block the supply line for NATO forces in Afghanistan.
It represents the sentiments of the Pakistani people, who have long suffered death and destruction due to US intervention in the neighbouring country. Its hoped that the supply will be restored only if the NATO tenders apology for violating Pakistans sovereign airspace and gives solemn assurances that there shall be no recurrence of such incidents in future.
The nation is already outraged at continued US drone attacks that are killing scores of people every week. Enough is enough.
Its time to make the US and NATO understand that they should not take Pakistan casually as their operations in Afghanistan are squarely dependent on its logistical cooperation and support. Washington ought to know that even for its honourable exit from Afghanistan, it needs Pakistans cooperation and support.
The voices in Washington that the US should look for alternate route are welcome. It will be rather blessing in disguise for Pakistan that has suffered unprecedentedly as a result of its support to the US in the invasion of Afghanistan. It will hopefully spare her of the Talibans wrath as well since they are targeting Pakistan primarily for this very reason. Ends.
There is no reason for the United States or NATO to launch direct attacks on Pakistani soil. Islamabad has repeatedly asked for intelligence sharing and drone technology and offered to act against the militants.
It has, in fact, acted in some cases. Pakistans armed forces have, in fact, amply proven their ability to deal with the forces of terrorism through their operations in Swat and South Waziristan, which have since been cleared of militants.
The two areas are now under full control of Pakistans law enforcement agencies with governments writ prevailing. The achievements on this count have been internationally acclaimed.
Both George Bush and Barak Obama have not pursued the right strategy. They needed to follow President Reagan, who got the Soviet Union defeated and forced it to vacate its aggression in Afghanistan without committing the US troops.
The US, however, opted to launch the aggression against Afghanistan on the pretext of Al-Qaida because it has obvious political and military designs in Central Asia for which it wants effective control over Afghanistan. It is, however, evident that Washington can never gain hold over Afghanistan in. It has been able to secure the area of only Kabul airport in about ten years war against the Afghan people.
The US political and military leaders had seemingly not studied the Afghan history before launching the invasion. Had they done so, they would have known the Afghan peoples determination, ferocity and will to defend their freedom.
Irrespective of US tactics, the ground reality is that the US and NATO forces are sinking in the swampy killing fields of Afghanistan. The defeat is rather staring in their face.
Pak sovereignty must be respected
