The Nato Fiasco

The recent predawn NATO air attack on the Pakistani security check post on the Pak-Afg border which left twenty four Pakistani troops dead including two officers have hit all time low in the Pak U.S relations. This particular cross border air raid of NATO forces have further fuelled the anti American sentiment in Pakistan which forced PPP govt to reconsider its bilateral relations with the US on the basis of mutual interest and define its strategic importance as a key alley in the war against terrorism campaign to the world. The attack inspired disenchantment, anger and suspicion even among the few handful pro American voices in Pakistan which pushed the establishment as well as to the Zardari lead coalition govt to block the essential supply lines from Pakistan to the ISAF and American forces in Afghanistan and also ordered CIA to vacate the Shamsi Air base within the fifteen days. The attack came after the continuous anti Pakistan reports aired by the U.S media and BBC followed by the war of words and nudging by the various U.S officials including the lion Panetta and Hillary Clinton to pressurize and push Pakistan to do more and flush out the Haqqani network operating from the wild mountains in the tribal areas of Pakistan which Americans believe have posed a major threat to the U.S and NATO forces in Afghanistan. However this is not the first time that the NATO forces have violated the sovereignty of Pakistan, according to the independent Pakistani media reports around seventy five Pakistani soldiers have been so for killed in the six different major attacks by the NATO forces on the PAK Afghan border since 2007 on the name of hot persuit. Every time Pakistan govt registered its strong protest before the NATO and U.S to stop violating the sovereignty but after the word of assurances, condolences and apologies that it will not happen in future cross border raids continued in a systematic way to give a clear signal to the strategic alley that if you don’t take any action against the Taliban and destroy their safe heavens in the tribal areas. Otherwise we are ready and enough capable like OBL operation to take any unilateral military action deep inside the Pakistan against those who pose a major threat to the so called regional peace and stability. This cross border air attack has sent warning alarms in all the frontiers of power in Pakistan and pushed them for an immediate policy change to protect the sovereignty and national interest but at the same this step can stoke tension on the PAK AFGHAN border. The attack sparked furry in Pakistan and further complicated U.S-led efforts to ease a crisis in relations with Islamabad after the OBL operation to stabilize the region before they pull out their troops from the Afghanistan. The latest decree by the Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kiyani to its ground forces stationed on the Pak-Afg border can be seen as the last nail in the coffin of Pak U.S relations which stated, “in case of any attack, you have complete liberty to respond forcefully using all available resources. You don’t need any permission for this”. Which shows both the military establishment as well as the civilian govt in Pakistan are looking so for united on a one page and have drawn the clear lines of tolerance. The blockade of essential supply lines and to vacate Shamsi air base are the steps which can decide the future and bring the paradigm shift in the Pakistani foreign policy which was so for used to be tabled and scripted in the Washington. Interestingly all the political parties including the religious parties in Pakistan are calling it an act of blatant aggression and are of the same opinion that the time has come that we should dissociate ourselves from the America’s war. The liberals and the civil society in the Pakistan too hold the same view and are echoing that if this is the retribution of our countless sacrifices in the war against terrorism then it’s the right time to adieu good bye to America’s war ventures. Virtually this war proved so for detrimental both physically as well as economically. The country lost thirty thousand people, billions of foreign investment and was left to the mercy of IMF, World Bank and their economical occupation conditions have made life of common man in Pakistan miserable due to the fatal inflation. Thus various political analysts in Islamabad strongly believe that 9/11 was just an excuse and Afghanistan provided them a base but the ultimate target is to denuclearize Pakistan and this cross border air strikes is just the sub plot of a Americas new world order game. But this arrogance of power can prove counterproductive and can trigger a third world war which is not anybody’s interest.