Tribune Take: Pakistan's boycott handicaps Bonn conference
Naveed Hussain, The Express Tribune’s national editor, says the boycott sends a significant message to the international community. Pakistan's refusal to attend the conference signals the common sentiment in the country over the breach of sovereignty by the Nato attack over the weekend.
Hussain says Pakistan's absence makes the conference lose its effectiveness, although significant results were not to be expected from the talks.
He also adds that without Pakistan, peace in Afghanistan and negotiations with the Taliban is not possible.
Read Naveed Hussain's articles here.
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@Akbar: cant you see 3m i.e. 15% of Afghanistan population still living in Pakistan. We have been hosting you guys since 1979 when Russia invaded you …including your President Karzai and what have you brought here in Pakistan, drugs, AK 47?
Wrong. Pakistan created the culture of drugs and AK-47s in Afghanistan. It thought it could spread the disease and would be immune from it, but is now sick itself. Noone can outrun their karma even if they have strategic depth (which Pak never did).
You Need to leave Afghanistan alone. just 24 of your soldiers died and look at you. Don't you see what you have been doing to us for decades. May you face what you did to us!
The Attack is on Purpose and this has been carried out with the objectives to:
Revenge the clandestine cooperation of Pakistan Army to Talibans Revenge the Attack on the US Embassy Kabul Further disgrace Pakistan Army for not being able to defend their borders and forces.
My opinion is that alienating Pakistan or disgracing Pakistan is not definitely in the interest of USA or western countries because.
Pakistan is the only gateway to Central Asia Pakistan is bordered three crucial powers of the time: China, India and Iran. Pakistan has to play the future role of China in the upcoming years. Pakistan is only Muslim nuclear country and the Arab World has a great sympathies towards Pakistan mainly to counter the Israel. Pakistanis have the minds to shape the future role of the Muslim Ummah.
This is going exactly as US wanted. They see Pak as their enemy. The next thing would be, there will be an attack in Afghan (by CIA itself) on American troops and PAK will be judged responsible as the justification of a full fledged attack on Pak. They have choosen their targets already in pak and they are just executing their plans.
Pakistani should be regard as a respected partner, a neigbour and a stakeholder in attending the conference instead of being violated in its sovereignty! Yes, stand up tall and send the correct message,
One of the objective of this deliberate attack on Pak Army was to bring Pakistan into open. By not attending the Bonn Peace conference, Paksiatn got free hand to sponser Mollas of every cader, race & nationality to run havoc world over including China & Russia. This will make Pakistan the most important member of the world comunity though at gun (suicide bomber) point.
Seriously? Why not attack Pakistan checkpost to save TTP thugs. Maybe another attack will bring them to pseudo-participatory conference where US policy will be the diktat.
@Mohammad Ali Siddiqui: you are very emotional person. punjabi always belive to give and live nice life. sacrifice for detter of others are in there blood. people makes mistake.no one can replace friendship between pakistan and usa. usa has given lots to pakistan and always stood behind. nato has nothing to gain attacking pakistan. someone in pakistan dont want peace in afganistan. its money and power game.people should bring people power in pakistan.pakistan always had autocratic govt. any way sardar zalam singhji you are a very short sideed person. india has nothing to gain from it. peacefull pakistan and afganistan is not only good for india.its also good for ordenarry citizen of our area. lets pray for peace and love foe regin. so that i and otger sikhs like me can walk in pakistan and see our old homes and holy places when ever we want. thks satwant
@j von hettlingen. Pakistan will show clout by not attending, we have been a NATO ally, as a result of which we have lost 36000 lives in the war on terror after September 11, and are continuously being berated by our so-called allies, verbally, for not doing enough. This physical attack which took 24 precious lives might be the last straw that broke the camels back. Is history repeating itself, U.S. bombed Cambodia before their retreat from their failed Vietnam debacle and are probably using a similar strategy in Afghanistan...
Afghans or US - are'nt freinds. But neighbours are more important than distant friends. You can choose friends but cant choose brothers and neighbours.
Pakistan needs not to boycott the Bonn Conference, since its security is closely tied with the Afghan one and both face similar threat. In an event of differences, intensified engagement brings solutions instead of shunning such moots where solutions could be found. While Pakistan should take a definitive stand viz NATO-US and Afghans regarding targeting its security forces and installations, ways need to be found to avoid such a calamity on both sides. Disengagement is not a solution especially when all are racing against time.
Someone please explain why attending the Bonn conference hurts Pakistan? It wasn't more than a few weeks ago that Pakistan was complaining that it was being excluded --- well maybe Pakistan's childish response to a dispute is one of the reasons that some would prefer Pakistan sit on the sidelines.
Pakistan should attend and show that it has clout! Not to attend Pakistan would make itself look insignificant in the eyes of the international community.
Pakistan and Pakistanis rule!!! Love you all. Make love not war!
ET please ensure that only pakistanis vote in the polls .. i am sick of indians and other aliens commenting and polling on your site. Atleast act as a pakistani paper
dont worry pakistanis, India will take care here onwards.
The international community has 2 options.
Involve Pakistan in negotiations and end up with a TALEBAN REGIME IN aFGANISTAN. Isolate and marginalize Pakistan and end up with a low grade civil war in Afganistan.In my opinion, Option 2 is the better option.
This afghan ought to stand on their feet and they must leave depending on others...until Afghanistan/Afghani doesn’t use its capacity and potential to stand on their feet....no peace is aspect and they will be exploited further. After decades of double game and involvement of various countries in Afghanistan for their interests must be realize now and they must stand on their feet. Remember Afghan are the most potential nation and they can do allot in the best of their potential…..they must depends on themselves and develop relationship on mutual respect. While after decades of destruction the neighboring and involved countries could honesty play their positive role to the rehabilitate and development of Afghanistan…..while after decades of previous experience that without Afghanistan development regional development is impossible.
Why should Pakistan suffer at the cost of US and Afghanistan?
We have already given unprecedented sacrifices which no country in the world has made neither for US, nor for Afghanistan.
One more life of a Pakistani will cost a lot to the world. Don’t push us too much towards the corner. Once the Pakistanis will lose their temper, no one in the world will be able to stop us.
18 million people of Pakistan are ready to die to save the motherland.