Coalition partners of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government have decided to end the sit-in against drone attacks and let Nato containers cross the Torkham border to Afghanistan, a person familiar with the matter told The Express Tribune.
According to the source, the decision was taken following Pentagon’s statement on Wednesday about suspending the shipment of equipment out of Afghanistan via Torkham border due to security concerns over the blockade organised by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).
The affected route has been crucial for the United States as it winds down its combat mission in landlocked Afghanistan and moves equipment out of the country. It accounts for the vast majority of ground traffic of US military cargo through Pakistan. Reportedly, protesters - some armed with clubs - have been forcibly searching trucks near the Torkham border in an effort to halt Nato supplies in protest over US drone strikes in Pakistan.
Following a drone strike on November 21 which killed six people, including members of the Haqqani network, and injured at least eight others, PTI Chairman Imran Khan announced they would protest and block the Nato supply route throughout K-P. The unofficial checkpoints began on November 24.
While discussing what happened at the meeting, the source said it was not a unilateral decision but a collective one. He added that even the PTI, which had organised the entire sit-in, was in favour of calling it off. The source believes that the protest camps might be closed in a day or two. He, however, refused to give a specific date.
The PTI’s general secretary for K-P, Khalid Masood, claimed major objectives of the sit-in were to end the Nato supply and stop drone attacks in Pakistan. He said that the objective to suspend Nato supply via K-P had been achieved following Pentagon’s statement while others were still pending.
“I will be present at the sit-in on Saturday (today) and the dharna will continue,” said Masood.
Sources privy to the meeting said that it had been decided to end the sit-in, but it will continue on Saturday (today). They claimed that since the sit-in had been called by political parties, particularly the PTI, the decision to end it will be taken by PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
Day 15
On the 15th day of the sit-in, the protests and checks continued along the Nato supply route to Afghanistan. Documents of more than a dozen containers carrying goods to Afghanistan were verified. All of them were allowed to cross the border after they proved that they were not carrying Nato supplies.
In a press statement issued by the Jamaat-e-Islami, they said the Pentagon’s decision to suspend shipment of equipment out of Afghanistan via Torkham was a victory for the coalition government. The party’s K-P spokesperson Advocate Israrullah said drone strikes were a violation of international laws and an attack on the country’s sovereignty.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 7th, 2013.
COMMENTS (18)
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Sir, dharna is still taking place and PTI has officially declared that they will continue their sit in. Why are you propogating misinformation? Or should i simply call you a lier?
The so called sit-in was against NATO Supply or Drone Attacks.
@Bakhtiyar Ghazi Khan: It would be nice if PTI was equally staunch about defending doctors who are abducted in KPK, Chrsitians who get killed in Churches in KPK and other acts of terror that get committed in KPK. And try to get some justice for those victims.
The people that were killed in Hangu by the way were not Pakistani citizens, most common targets of drones are on fact not Pakistanis at all.
@Ahmad: Dont waste ur energy here. These r paid trolls.
So the dinner with NATO did the trick, :) and the people of PAK got tricked again by IK
@Common man: Sorry. He did not say he just wanted to protest. He said that blockade would continue until drones stopped. As the number of people showing up for blockade started to reduce and there is no sign that drones would stop, he had no choice but to stop the blockade. He may have got what he wanted I.e. distract people from what is happening at ground level I.e. poor law and order with extortions on the rise, doctors strike and all that. He did not however get what he had claimed he would get I.e. stopping of drones.
well for your info US itself have block nato supply in kpk http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25210710
Brothers, at least appreciate it. Pti protest is genuine.
IK did not gurantee stop to the drone by blocking nato supplies,, but he did said he had to do whatever he could as a protest, and the Supplies are now blocked by US and Natos.. He got what he wanted
So another news from PTI that makes the headlines even before it actually happens. Can't you guys just wait enough so that they actually do it before you start complaining because i'v noticed many a times what you say 'likely' never happens and then you dont even apologise for lying.
Poor IK couldn't become KPK's Robin Hood !!!
IK/PTI brought US to its knees!!!!It has to beg the privilege of using Pakistani roads from Mr. Khan.The bleeding heart he is,he had to oblige!!
It's incredible unfair to PTI for being attacked from all sides and parties who committed to blocking NATO supplies, but at the required time, they left PTI hanging. Shameless vultures.
Looks like the Pentagon announcement was meant to give PTI/JI a face-saving way out of the mess that Imran Khan had created with this extreme stances.
The real objective was to make the news. Otherwise the KPK is failing miserably at living up to its promises. This was the cheapest and easiest way to create the impression of success.
PTI and JI fools achieved nothing.
Have the drones stopped? Are you sure they won't hit again PTI or is it that the balloon of blockade has run out of gas? Before he went out of country IK met with US diplomats and the decision that dharna should be finished... Whats up IK?