Thousands anti-drones protesters block NATO supply line in Pakistan
English.news.cn 2013-11-23 18:53:10
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of political activists in northwest Pakistan on Saturday blocked the main supply route for NATO troops in Afghanistan as protest against the U.S. drone strikes.
The protesters started a sit-on the main supply route in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), which rules the province, started closure of the supply line as part of its anti-drones protest strategy.
Activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, a coalition partner in the provincial government, also joined the protest on Peshawar Ring Road that is used by hundreds of NATO containers that enter Afghanistan daily.
The cricket-turned politician, Imran Khan, who leads PTI, attended the protest that previously stated that the blockade will continue unless the U.S. stops drone strikes.
Protest rallies outside the U.S. embassy and UN mission in Islamabad have also been planned in the coming days, spokesman for the provincial government, Shah Farman, has said.
The authorities earlier closed the main border point of Torkham with Afghanistan ahead of the protest over security concerns, officials said. It is one of the two main border points used for NATO supplies.
Officials said nearly 70 percent of supplies for thousands of foreigner troops are transported through Pakistan, the cheapest and shortest route.
The police in Peshawar Saturday morning blocked "Ring Road," the route NATO containers use to head to Afghanistan, for all kind of traffic hours ahead of the protest rally.
Officials said that hundreds of police personnel were deployed in the city to tighten security in Peshawar and surrounding areas. Experts from the Bomb Disposal Squad also visited venue of the sit- in and searched the area.
Jamaat-e-Islami leader, Liaquat Baloch, speaking on the occasion, asked the government to shoot down the American drones. He said that Jamaat will also block NATO trucks in Karachi on Sunday.
The protest was planned after the November 1 drone strike in North Waziristan which killed the Pakistani Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsud just a day ahead of a meeting between a government team and the Taliban. Pakistan accused the U.S. of sabotaging the peace process with the Taliban.
The U.S. expanded its drone campaign and rained missiles on a religious school in a non-tribal district of Hangu on November 21 and killed six students and teachers.
English.news.cn 2013-11-23 18:53:10
ISLAMABAD, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of political activists in northwest Pakistan on Saturday blocked the main supply route for NATO troops in Afghanistan as protest against the U.S. drone strikes.
The protesters started a sit-on the main supply route in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), which rules the province, started closure of the supply line as part of its anti-drones protest strategy.
 |
| File Photo |
The cricket-turned politician, Imran Khan, who leads PTI, attended the protest that previously stated that the blockade will continue unless the U.S. stops drone strikes.
Protest rallies outside the U.S. embassy and UN mission in Islamabad have also been planned in the coming days, spokesman for the provincial government, Shah Farman, has said.
The authorities earlier closed the main border point of Torkham with Afghanistan ahead of the protest over security concerns, officials said. It is one of the two main border points used for NATO supplies.
Officials said nearly 70 percent of supplies for thousands of foreigner troops are transported through Pakistan, the cheapest and shortest route.
 |
| File Photo |
Officials said that hundreds of police personnel were deployed in the city to tighten security in Peshawar and surrounding areas. Experts from the Bomb Disposal Squad also visited venue of the sit- in and searched the area.
Speaking at the rally former Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told the gathering that the world is silent on the killing of over 40,000 people in Pakistan in terrorist attacks due to joining the U.S. war.
 |
| File Photo |
The protest was planned after the November 1 drone strike in North Waziristan which killed the Pakistani Taliban chief, Hakimullah Mehsud just a day ahead of a meeting between a government team and the Taliban. Pakistan accused the U.S. of sabotaging the peace process with the Taliban.
The U.S. expanded its drone campaign and rained missiles on a religious school in a non-tribal district of Hangu on November 21 and killed six students and teachers.
No comments:
Post a Comment