Weaponisation of Pak-Afghan cities

Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - American media claims that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton talked to Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Hina Rubbani Khar and said, “The Foreign Minister and I were reminded that our troops, Pakistani and American, are in a fight against a common enemy. We are both sorry for losses suffered by both our countries in this fight against terrorists,” Many analysts took it as an Washington’s apology to Islamabad for its unprovoked attack on Pakistan personnel inside Pakistani territory at Salala post 26 November 2011 but it is totally misleading.

Has anyone given a thought that when US has withdrawn almost all its combatant personnel from Afghanistan and is only left with reconstruction teams, SWAT and some personnel who provide security to them, why such a bulk of NATO supplies would be required? In the recent statement of Secretary of State Clinton she disclosed with regard to lethal equipment that Pakistan has agreed to transit GLOC (Ground Lines of Communication) into Afghanistan for equipping Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Ms Clinton added that Pakistan’s decision was critically important to the men and women fighting terrorism and extremism in Afghanistan. Guess what men and women could mean? Does this mean arming Afghan civilians with lethal equipment and weaponry?

In another development former US Army Vice Chief of Staff, General Jack Keane stressed before Congressional Committee that the Washington should take the Pakistani supply route off the table. He said, “So I think we could actually take the issue off the table in my judgment in terms of our relationship with Pakistan on this issue because we do have alternatives. And most dramatically, our force size is coming down rather significantly, and therefore there’s less requirement.” Michael O’Hanlon, Director of Research, Senior Fellow and Chair at Brookings Institution’s Foreign Policy Programme said, “I’m not saying cut off all aid to the state in Pakistan. I think we should certainly continue to fund civil society in Pakistan in an alternative to the military-dominated, ISI-dominated foreign and national security policy they pursue. “I’m not saying cut off all aid to the state in Pakistan. I think we should certainly continue to fund civil society in Pakistan in an alternative to the military-dominated, ISI-dominated foreign and national security policy they pursue…”

There is no doubt that US and allies have already withdrawn bulk of their forces last year after humiliating defeat at the hands of Mujahideen of Afghanistan and Pakistan. US Army General Jack Keane has rightly highlighted that US’ force size is coming down rather significantly, and therefore there’s less requirement of NATO supplies through Pakistan but the western conspiracy to arm civilian in Pakistan and Afghanistan is a matter of concern. Pakistan must investigate the tens and hundreds of containers still piled near the Pakistani ports and those which mysteriously got missing. The law enforcement agencies must take action against the illegal automatic weapons in Pakistan as well as lethal equipment distributed by US and India among civilians in Pakistan and Afghanistan on the pretext of NATO supplies. Unless we are not able to control NATO sponsored weaponization of major cities in Pakistan and Afghanistan peace would not be ale to be restored in cities like Karachi, Gilgit and Quetta.