The writer is an Islamabad-based lawyer and is the central deputy secretary information of the PTI. He tweets @Adnanrandhawa
The myth that Hell’s gates would be opened if we ever annoyed the US by stopping drones, needed to be broken to restore the citizens’ confidence in the state of Pakistan and affirm the validity of the principle of state sovereignty. Civilian casualties by drone attacks started echoing in courts and the Peshawar High Court (PHC) declared drone strikes a war crime and ordered the government to stop them. Stopping illegal drone attacks also emerged as a slogan of the election campaign of the PTI. After getting the mandate of the people, the PTI rightly decided to take this issue head on. This was the context in which the PTI’s blockade of Nato supplies started in K-P where it had formed the government.
Although blockade by party workers of the PTI and its allies was not in consonance with the right of free movement by citizens, this violation was nothing in comparison with the violation of state sovereignty by almost 381 drone strikes that have now been declared by the EU parliament to be extrajudicial killings.
When the recent PHC judgment rightly ordered that the right of free movement of citizens be ensured, the PTI’s Nato supplies blockade had already achieved its goals. Disrupted military supplies taught a good enough lesson to the US and served as a deterrent. Consequently, the US was forced to announce the limiting of drone strikes and we have seen a welcome halt in drone strikes for a significant period of time now. The PTI’s blockade also pushed the federal government towards tackling the issue of militancy by using its own force instead of relying on US drones. Finally, the blockade sensitised the European countries, which largely constitute the Nato forces deployed in Afghanistan, about the gravity of violations of international law and international human rights by US drone strikes in Pakistan. It was partly, if not solely, because of the mounted pressure on European countries whose soldiers suffered due to crucial supplies being stalled by PTI workers in K-P, that the European Parliament passed a resolution with a thumping majority terming drone strikes illegal and proposing a ban on their use.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 6th, 2014.
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COMMENTS (26)
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@numbersnumbers: Dear numbers, Do you also want a complete listing of the two million people who are no longer with us as a result of US/NATO mischief over the last 13 years or so.?
@Sexton Blake: Hmmm, And just where might we read about those "30,000 American citizens" that you claim are no longer with us?
@np: Yes, the Western world has become a peaceful place. The result of 9/11 was that 3,000 people were lost. Since then 30,000 American citizens are no longer with us as a result of US police action. At least you are correct about disproportionate response. I will not even go into Western provocateurs created mischief around the rest of the world.
A nice overview of the situation in the area concerned.
Great article, thanks for writing it. I appreciate that the view of the common Pakistani was portrayed correctly. Keep up the good work.
"...this violation was nothing in comparison with the violation of state sovereignty by almost 381 drone strikes that have now been declared by the EU parliament to be extrajudicial killings."
And the 'violation' by drone strikes is nothing compared to the violation of state sovereignty by foreign and local militants operating from and within our territory, but that you fail to see. It has been over two months since the last drone strike, if the PTI are to be believed that drone strikes are the cause of terrorist attacks within Pakistan one would have expected the attacks to become less frequent due to the recent halting, but attacks have only become more common, belying the PTI's claim, while at the same time establishing that drone strikes are rather helpful than harmful in containing terrorism.
It's about time the PTI revisited its stance on terrorism or it will continue to disenchant its supporters and voters. The least you can do is to advise Imran Khan to keep his mouth shut and stop giving inane statements. By doing so, not only would he stop confusing an already confused and misguided populace, he would also stop attracting the criticism that should actually be directed at the PML N for their ineptness, indifference and a facetious approach towards the issue of terrorism.
Hats off to worker who were involved on the ground. These people are actual are asset for this country and nation.
Desperate attempt to gain credibility for childish actions of PTI........ No hue of cries from PTI and their supporters when Pak Army bombards the whole place to the ground and amazingly 'only' results in militant casualties...... No human rights violations there!! Aye!! We won't let anyone else violate our sovereingty as long as we are violatying it ourselves......
It was only a matter of time before some pti loyalist claimed that they have stopped drones by stopping nato supply even though they know that the NATO supply was going successfully through other route (chaman i guess).. I would rather give credit to nawaz for doing vigorous diplomatic efforts and raising the issue in UN and with BArack obama and then doing continious surgical strikes in that area and killing a lot of militants
Aren't drones more precise than F16s? Calling the airstrikes "surgical" do not make them magically more accurate. At the moment, there is nothing more accurate than the drone attacks. If they create collateral damage, imagine what the F16s would do !
Completely agree with the author. I blockade was to pressurise the government on lack of action and it acheived just that.
@ahmad: KPK government did NOT block NATO supplies, it was PTI the party. The fact that the police did nothing to stop the illeal blockage rubbishes Imran's claim of an apolitical police force.
It wasn't the blockade that achieved a hault in drones but actually a US decision to stop the drones for a while. The Americans decided that they would do this so that you and other Taliban apologists would not be able to use drones as an excuse for the failure of talks. You used to say that terrorism was being caused by drones and talks would solve the problem. Drones have been haulted and talks have been tried but terrorism has not reduced at all. Which means that you were wrong about this all along. If the blockade has achieved anything, it is that PTI is looking even more silly!
First there was no blockade at all. The camp would be inhabited by a handful of PTI/JI youngsters most of the time, and the supply of trucks continued from Torkhum and Quetta. The blockad in hte previous government after Salala attack was a greater challenge and the govt had to show real guts to the pressure of USA and international community. Finally, even if we assume that the so-called blockade has led to the halting of drones, so what? There has been no reduction in bombings and target killings by the TTP. this exposes PTI policy of drones as the reason behind terrorism; a policy which they used for years to tacitly support the Taliban and confuse the nation.
Imran has taken every step in the book to offend Americans. He has openly supported their enemies, disrupted their supplies, scolded them in every statement, blamed them for terrorist acts but for unknown reasons they have remained expressionless. There are only possibilities of their poker face, either he is working on their instructions or they don't consider him a leader.
The only winners with the blockade are terrorists.And the losers are the citizens of Pakistan-not NATO,EU or USA.
Subhan Allah. Despite the fact this article commends Imran, for his excellent effort in halting drone attacks, yet the comments published are those of the liberal, secular, bigoted mindset, who have yet to come to terms with political Islam, being a reality. How biased and shameful?
Good Article. Some what true. IT was wise step from KP Govt to block it. and that also forced international forces to re think on their strategy. full marks to KPK Govt.
Delusional to say the least. A token protest swayed both US and Pakistani policy? Yep. Not to mention that the blockade was declared illegal by the PHC.
Surely this article must be a joke. Early April fools prank?
Rubbish - there is no evidence what-so-ever that PTI blockade has had any impact on Afghan war or USA drone policy. The only thing the PTI blockade accomplished was to make Sharif and his govt look weak and inept in the eyes of the rest of the World - not something to brag about.
Btw this article actually shows that you did not achieve anything and people also feel the same, that is why you now need to write such article to justify your action and prove that you got something out of it. Sad....there are so many true issues which is affecting a commoner, but you chose something that can provide you quick publicity.
OH PLEASE!!!! Do you seriously think you brought change? Army was in this with US, otherwise do you think it is so tough to bring down a drone. You have amde a big issue out of nothing, Army in past has said that it is a better tool then sending forces on ground or shelling a population. There is alsways risk of innocent people dying in war, but if you consider this is awar then that is the risk you take. If you have reports to support your stance then there are reports that show most of thepeople killed were millitants. This is a risk when killers hide among population. I supported PTI, even made donations, but I fear PTI will bring this country to its knees since it is becomeing more of JI 2.0.