M A I N   N E W S

Opinion
Special to the tribune
Time for Pak to put its foot down
Nasim Zehra in Islamabad

If it is okay for Washington to focus all its diplomatic and political energies, laced with threatening messages, to fly away its covert operator and killer of three Pakistanis, Raymond Davis, it is much more than okay for Pakistan to suspend business-as-usual with the US-ISAF-Afghan troika until they agree on taking specific steps to hold those responsible for the bloody ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) attack that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers stationed at the Golden and Volcano border posts in the Mohmand Agency.

Pakistani lawyers rally to condemn NATO strikes on Pakistani troops, in Karachi on Monday. — AP/PTI

The November 26 attack and Pakistan’s response, both flow from deep distrust that exists between Pakistan and the troika — the Afghan government, the US and the ISAF forces — across the border in Afghanistan. The death of 24 soldiers would have been mourned and condemned widely even if it was an accidental attack by China, but the reaction would not have been so severe. In fact in a rare and welcome rapid response, Pakistan’s key national security institutions, including the Defence Committee of the Cabinet, met to decide a policy response.

Clearly all Afghanistan-related military and intelligence cooperation should be suspended and all diplomatic engagement must focus on working out an ISAF, NATO, US and Afghanistan response acceptable to Pakistan. The minimum demand must be a joint inquiry. Unless NATO apologises, initiates a joint inquiry and promises action against those responsible for the attacks, it must not be business as usual. Pakistan should also review its decision to participate in the upcoming Bonn Agreement unless the troika is able to take concrete steps, including an unconditional apology for the attack.

All the facts on the attack are not and cannot be clear without an inquiry. However, NATO spokesman has claimed the attack was in self-defence. They have also said an operation was already being conducted and their troops asked for air power. According to Pakistan army spokesman after Peshawer Corps informed him of the attack, the Director-General Military Operations contacted the commander of the ISAF’s regional headquarters in Khost, but the attack continued for another hour. The injured men who are in hospital have told the foreign press that after the first ground attack they thought it was a Taliban attack. So they began to respond until they realised there was airpower too.

Significantly, the posts ISAF attacked were the two new ones set up to prevent Aufi Mohammad's militants from infiltrating and attacking. Less than a month ago, these militants attacked Pakistani forces and left 17 FC men dead. NATO authorities had been informed about the setting up of these two posts. So this area was not the one from which the Haqqani group infiltrates into Afghanistan to attack the ISAF and Afghan forces.

The NATO response has been of regret and it has claimed its forces attacked in self-defence. It has promised to hold an inquiry. But if NATO itself is the judge, jury and prosecution, then there is little likelihood of a fair inquiry. Hence the demand by Pakistan for a joint inquiry is important.

Some broader issues related to this attack are recall-worthy. Most importantly, that despite Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s genuine effort to resolve Afghanistan-related mutual concerns, there continues to be a serious trust deficit between Pakistan and the US & Afghanistan. Washington’s double-policy of talking to and clobbering the Taliban simultaneously is preventing substantive operational level military cooperation.

Hence, while on paper, 20 hours before the attack army chief General Kayani and ISAF commander Gen John Allen do agree on “measures concerning coordination, communication and procedures” for enhancing border control on both sides”, on the ground, the policy conflict between Pentagon-CIA and the State-White House is played out.

With the tragic assassination of Prof Rabbani, Pakistan-Afghan distrust has also widened. Complaints of Pakistan’s double play on the Taliban factor too remain intact. Hence more NATO attacks cannot be ruled out. Is Kabul and the Pentagon deciding to go for a tit-for tat, given that the Haqqani network launches some of its attacks from the Pakistani territory? If so, this sixth ISAF forces attack inside Pakistan’s territory since 2008, will not be the last one. These questions and perceptions notwithstanding, only a joint investigation can help provide credible answers.

Through these attacks, Pakistan’s security and sovereignty are being eroded. Only an appropriate policy response seeking corrective measures for the attack, not mainstream bombastic rhetoric coupled with concealed efforts to seek quid-pro-quos, can stop this erosion.

The government’s resolve, credibility and competence are all in sharp focus, as the nation and international community watches how it protects Pakistan’s security, its morale, its regional standing and its relations with the US.

The writer is a national security analyst and director, current affairs, and host, policy matters, Duniya News