Show more restraint on cross-border attacks

Saturday, June 30, 2012 - STRONGLY reacting to attacks from Afghanistan side of the border in Upper Dir that killed 17 security personnel, Pakistan permanent representative to the United Nations has made it clear that his country’s restraint should not be taken for granted. Speaking in the Security Council Ambassador Haroon stressed that preventing recurrence of such incidents is absolutely imperative and safe havens in Afghanistan must be dissuaded.

In our view Mr Haroon has done well by extending this warning as Pakistan in no way can allow violation of its sovereignty. The killing of soldiers during the cross border attack and kidnapping of others who were on patrol duty and later beheading them is a serious incident. There is need that Pakistan must boost presence of security forces in Upper Dir Area where terrorists led by Maulvi Fazlullah have been launching repeated attacks from Nuristan with the help of NATO forces. Earlier these terrorists attacked the Chitral Scouts Posts in August last year killing 32 personnel. Fazlullah escaped from the military action in Dir and is hell bent to avenge his defeat with the help of his masters. We think these attacks are part of the strategy to involve Pakistan in major clashes on the border and we should not get into this cobweb. Pakistan must show restrain as a responsible and mature state and should not get provoked as it cannot afford fighting on the porous border. However it is necessary to use normal diplomatic and military channels and tell the US and NATO commanders not to allow sanctuaries of Pakistani militants on the Afghan side of the border as their activities would force it to move some of the troops from Afghan border to Upper Dir and that would affect war on terror.