K & P

Relentless resolve: NATO supply routes remain blocked as sit-in enters third month

PTI reiterates blockade meant to stop US from carrying out drone strikes in Pakistan.

Umer Farooq January 21, 2014

On Tuesday, the PTI’s youth wing led the sit-in at the toll plaza. It was attended by activists from the JI and AJIP. PHOTO: AFP/ FILE

PESHAWAR: It has been three months and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led sit-in against drone strikes in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) is still going strong as the Nato supply and withdrawal routes remain blocked.

The supply routes were blocked by the PTI and its coalition partners in the provincial government – the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) and Awami Jamhoori Ittihad Pakistan (AJIP) – at two different locations in K-P initially. The sit-in is presently being held at Hayatabad Toll Plaza.

The PTI leadership has maintained that the blockade was meant to stop the US from carrying out drone strikes in Pakistan. They believe that the US is trying to sabotage the peace process.

“The party took the decision against America’s unlawful actions and [sit-ins] will continue till they stop the drone attacks,” said PTI’s central additional general secretary Saifullah Niazi. He added the federal government should take notice of this, claiming had the PTI been in power at the centre, they would have dealt with it earlier.

On Tuesday, the PTI’s youth wing led the sit-in at the toll plaza. It was attended by activists from the JI and AJIP. They protested against the drone strikes and chanted anti-US slogans, asking the government to follow resolutions passed against the drone attacks in the provincial and national assemblies.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2014.