United States-led NATO forces killed 15 tribesmen, including women and children, in it’s first-ever ground attack inside Pakistani territory on Wednesday. The US forces landed by 3 choppers inside Pakistani village of Musa Neeke in South Waziristan Agency (SWA). The soldiers started indiscriminate firing with their automatic assault rifles at the sleeping inmates and shot dead nine family members of Faujan Wazir, including four women, two children and three men. The troops also killed another villager, Faiz Mohammad Wazir, his wife and two of his other family members.
Prime Minister of Pakistan and President has strongly condemned the unprovoked and cowardly act while the Senate, National Assembly and NWFP provincial assembly passed unanimous resolutions condemning the killing of innocent civilians and demanded the suspension of logistic support to US forces in Afghanistan. “We reserve the right of self-defence and retaliation to protect our citizens and soldiers against any aggression,” remarked Maj Murad, an ISPR officer based in Rawalpindi.
Meanwhile, NWFP Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani condemned the attack. “I have already raised the issue of repeated predator attacks by the coalition forces with the federal government,” the governor said, adding, “This is a direct assault on the sovereignty of Pakistan and the people expect that the armed forces of Pakistan would rise to defend the sovereignty of the country and give a befitting reply to all such attacks.” Such attacks, he added, hurt the pro-government and peaceful sentiments among the people of targeted areas.
Unfortunately, this is not the first attack on sovereignty of Pakistan, a key ally in war on terror, who has lost more troops since war began then the collective causalities suffered by US lead collation. Predator attacks by US lead forces were a common practice in Pervez Musharraff’s regime, which were mostly directed at innocent civilians. These unprovoked attacks on civilian population which have nothing to do with Taliban have badly hurt the pro-government sentiments in locals.
Continuous killing of innocent women and children by US lead forces serve no other purpose except breeding the sentiment of revenge in Tribal population. The family members of victim are later recruited as suicide bombers by US backed militants for attacks inside Pakistan. These suicide attackers have badly hurt the economy and investment climate in country. The foreign reserves are declining sharply and stock markets are heading nose down while foreign investment has come to a halt.
Not a single attack was directed at Baitullah Mehsud and his militants who are responsible for every suicide bombing inside Pakistan, despite the fact that Pakistani agenies provided details of his exect location to US lead collation, rather they are being facilitated by Kabul based US-India nexus. Ther previous dictatorial regime never raised a voice on this issue in fear of loosing US support. Not a surprise, the timing of this attack is when the presidential election is just two days away which will complete the democratic process. This is first ever land attack on Pakistani soil after newly elected government launched a full scale operation against US backed militant groups.
After presidential election, Pakistan seriously needs to re-consider her foreign policy and role in war against terror. US is encircling Pakistan from several fronts, through facilitating the militants by providing them local support against government and at the same time pushing her in to economic collapse with suicide attacks from Kabul based militants. If the present situation continues, there is going to be no alternate then a direct conflict, but by that time, Pakistan will loose too much in terms of economy and support of local population.
There is no reason for avoiding inevitable, if it’s going to be a direct conflict then let it be on your timing rather then playing on enemy ground and becoming a victim of delay. The newly elected government will have to choose from dying in installments and facing inevitable. In present situation war with Pakistan will be a costly bid for US, as she is not yet out of Iraq mess and her presidential elections are scheduled later this year.
At this point of time an immediate suspension of logistic support from Pakistan to US forces in Afghanistan might serve the purpose, leaving two enemies of Pakistan, Al-Qaida and US, to decide each others fate. Obviously, Pakistan will have to pay the price of such decision in economic terms; US will use every measure to hurt Pakistan’s trade and investment. This nation has survived the US sanctions and tough times before and is still capable of facing any challenge posed to our sovereignty. The only thing we need is a will of leadership to take tough decisions and protect our borders and innocent women and children.
After today’s cowardly attacks on Pakistani soil, government and armed forces have taken a serious note and all political parties have shown maturity by unanimously announcing support for government against any foreign aggression or internal conspiracies. If the newly elected President comes clear and asks the support of nation, there must be no doubt that people will stand with government facing any tough time ahead with courage. This seems to be only way for an honorable existence and is much better then humiliating attacks on our land and collecting dead bodies of our women and children.
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