Pakistan government can lose upto 1 million US dollars per day and face international sanctions if NATO supplies to US and international troops in Afghanistan are stopped from the country as is being advocated by some opposition parties including Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and religious party Jamaat-e-Islami.

Islamabad, Nov 25/Nationalturk – With opposition parties like Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and religious party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) threatening closure of NATO supplies till US stops drone attacks in country, Pakistan government is facing hard choices as the blockade can cost the country upto 1 million US dollars per day and international sanctions.

The opposition PTI led by cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan and JI led by Munawar Shah, who termed slain Pakistan Taliban chief Hakeemullah Mehsud as ‘martyr’ have started campaign for blockade of Nato supplies to US and allied forces in Afghanistan.  Both PTI and JI led rallies in Peshawar and Karachi in Pakistan yesterday and demanded closure of Nato supplies till US stops drone attacks in the country. During the rally in Peshawar in restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province,  PTI workers stopped Nato trucks and did not allow truckers to ply their trucks towards Afghanistan border.

PTI workers stopped Nato trucks at 5 points

The PTI workers also camped at five points in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa yesterday to obstruct Nato trucks as part of the party’s campaign to block the movement of Nato shipments to Afghanistan.

According to Pakistan government, most people killed in the US drone attacks in country’s tribal areas are terrorists. The Pakistan Taliban’s dreaded militant commander and Pakistan’s Most Wanted Terrorist Hakeemullah Mehsud was also killed in US drone strike on November 1 this year.

The political parties in Pakistan including ruling party PML-N, who support talks with Pakistan Taliban, termed Mehsud’s killing as setback to efforts to hold talks with the dreaded militant group. They accused US of sabotaging the peace process with Pakistan Taliban by killings its chief.

Since then PTI and religious parties have upped their demand for blocking of NATO supplies to pressurise US to stop drone attacks.

Blockade of Nato supplies can hurt Pakistan economy

Pakistan newspaper, Express Tribune, quoted officials as saying the decision of political parties to choke Nato supply routes could deprive Pakistan of billions of dollars it receives from the United States in financial aid.

“Under the Ground Lines of Communication (GLOC) agreement with the US, Pakistan receives an estimated $1,500-1,800 for every truck that carries supplies for Nato forces through the country, government officials said. The bill amounts to roughly $1 million per day,” they said.

The officials further said besides depriving Pakistan of the direct payment it receives for allowing Nato supplies to pass through its territory, violating the GLOC agreement may also prompt the US to withhold the $1.2 billion Pakistan hopes to receive under the Coalition Support Fund. The amount has already been included in the country’s budget for the current fiscal year.

The newspaper quoted a senior analyst Kamran Shafi as saying blockade of Nato supplies could lead to UN sanctions against Pakistan. It which would further deprive the country of billions of dollars it earns from trade.

‘Choking Nato supply violates UN resolutions’

“Choking Nato supply routes definitely violates the UN resolution on Afghanistan, our Constitution and all our agreements with the US and Nato. It will not only harm the work of international forces in Afghanistan, but will also harm our own national interests at a time when the US and Nato are set to withdraw from Afghanistan next year,”  Pakistan’s Defence analyst Lt Gen (retd) Talat Masood was quoted as saying.

Pakistan’s Information Minister Pervaiz Rasheed said Pakistan cannot afford the politics of isolation, as it needs friends not foes in today’s world.

“Pakistan government is closely monitoring the steps taken by PTI and JI to block Nato supply trucks. We will make a firm decision if the parties carry out its plan. It is against the state’s interest,” he told the newspaper.

Write your comments and thoughts below

Faiz Ahmad / NationalTurk Pakistan News