It could cost Pakistan dearly
We have a one-of-a-kind system of protests. A cartoon is published in a far off European country and we burn down shops, churches and tyres on our roads and streets. And so when drone strikes happen in an area that the government is unable to bring under its control, we put NATO supplies in abeyance just to register our protest at the cost of putting relations between the US, Pakistan and other world powers at stake. That’s exactly what Imran Khan and his party, the PTI, has been doing in the past few weeks.
Whereas protest is a purely legitimate and democratic right of every individual and political entity, doing the same at the cost of damaging state’s interest is of no value. What good a protest would be if it delivers the same level of damage, albeit in another manner which it intends to bring into sharp focus. While one condemns drone attacks, as they should be, blocking the NATO supplies cannot achieve the aim. It can however mar relations with the US which is not in the interest of the country, especially at this crucial time when foreign troops are soon to leave Afghanistan and Islamabad is engaged in a strategic dialogue with Washington. In this backdrop, the US did something to gain the upper hand and show up the protesters. It halted the NATO supplies on its own, thus removing the impetus that could lead parties like the PTI to stage protests. By voluntarily halting the US shipments of cargo through Pakistan, Washington has signaled it can go for the more costly way out of Afghanistan, if needed. The Central Asian route is lengthier and expensive though it is already supposed to take around 50 per cent of the equipment of the US and NATO out of Afghanistan. With these protests, the PTI and its leaders are only making sure that the US uses that route for all of its equipment and does not trust Pakistan for as simple a task as a withdrawal from this region.
Imran Khan has recorded his protest. It’s time now to put an end to the blockade which could cost Pakistan a lot. Islamabad is in the process of restarting the strategic dialogue with the US to improve its bilateral relations, and explore trade and investment opportunities. These protests are nothing but a stumbling block. It is time the government took a stand, with its allies and provincial governments onboard with the decision, whatever that may be.
