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Pakistani Party Votes to Block NATO Supply Lines if Drone Strikes Persist Pakistani Party Votes to Block NATO Supply Lines if Drone Strikes Persist
(about 1 hour later)
LONDON — The ruling party in a northwest province of Pakistan voted Monday to block NATO supply lines by Nov. 20 unless the United States stops its drone strikes in the nearby tribal belt.LONDON — The ruling party in a northwest province of Pakistan voted Monday to block NATO supply lines by Nov. 20 unless the United States stops its drone strikes in the nearby tribal belt.
The party, Tehrik-i-Insaf, which governs Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, passed a resolution that threatened to block the supply lines through the region in response to a C.I.A. missile strike that killed Hakimullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, on Friday.The party, Tehrik-i-Insaf, which governs Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province, passed a resolution that threatened to block the supply lines through the region in response to a C.I.A. missile strike that killed Hakimullah Mehsud, the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, on Friday.
The death of Mr. Mehsud has triggered a furious reaction from Pakistani politicians, particularly Imran Khan, the leader of Tehrik-i-Insaf, who with others said that the targeted killing had derailed incipient peace talks with the Taliban. The death of Mr. Mehsud has set off a furious reaction from Pakistani politicians, particularly Imran Khan, the leader of Tehrik-i-Insaf, who with others said that the targeted killing had derailed incipient peace talks with the Taliban.
But Mr. Khan’s resolution stopped short of imposing an immediate blockade on NATO supplies. Setting the Nov. 20 deadline was a means of building pressure on the Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to end American drone strikes, while buying time to avoid a tricky confrontation with Mr. Sharif’s administration, which does not favor blocking NATO lines.But Mr. Khan’s resolution stopped short of imposing an immediate blockade on NATO supplies. Setting the Nov. 20 deadline was a means of building pressure on the Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, to end American drone strikes, while buying time to avoid a tricky confrontation with Mr. Sharif’s administration, which does not favor blocking NATO lines.
In his first public remarks since Friday’s lethal drone strike, Mr. Sharif said Monday that peace could not be achieved in Pakistan “by unleashing senseless force." He later told the cabinet that he would press ahead with efforts to strike a peace deal with the Taliban. In his first public remarks since Friday’s lethal drone strike, Mr. Sharif said Monday that peace could not be achieved in Pakistan “by unleashing senseless force.” He later told the cabinet that he would press ahead with efforts to strike a peace deal with the Taliban.
Unusually, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan backed Pakistan’s protests, saying that the American strike “took place at an unsuitable time.” He told an American congressional delegation in Kabul on Sunday that he hoped the peace process would not suffer as a result.Unusually, President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan backed Pakistan’s protests, saying that the American strike “took place at an unsuitable time.” He told an American congressional delegation in Kabul on Sunday that he hoped the peace process would not suffer as a result.
Mr. Khan has led the tide of outrage in Pakistan since Friday, making heated accusations of American sabotage of the peace process, and threatening to cut the NATO lines unless the drone campaign ends.Mr. Khan has led the tide of outrage in Pakistan since Friday, making heated accusations of American sabotage of the peace process, and threatening to cut the NATO lines unless the drone campaign ends.
The United States, having weathered years of Pakistani criticism over the drone campaign, is unlikely to accede to his demand, although the pace of drone strikes has already dropped sharply this year.The United States, having weathered years of Pakistani criticism over the drone campaign, is unlikely to accede to his demand, although the pace of drone strikes has already dropped sharply this year.
Mr. Khan’s threat contains one irony: Peshawar residents say that much of the NATO traffic through the northwest is now headed out of Afghanistan, not into the country, in preparation for the withdrawal of Western combat troops by the end of 2014. Mr. Khan’s threat contains one irony: Peshawar residents say that much of the NATO traffic through the northwest is now headed out of Afghanistan, not into the country, in preparation for the withdrawal of Western combat troops by the end of 2014. If Mr. Khan were to cut those routes, he would be slowing the withdrawal of American troops — a withdrawal that he has demanded for years, citing the American presence in the region as a cardinal factor in fueling Islamist militancy inside Pakistan.
If Mr. Khan were to cut those routes, he would be slowing the withdrawal of American troops – a withdrawal that he has demanded for years, citing the American presence in the region as a cardinal factor in fueling Islamist militancy inside Pakistan.
Critics point out that Mr. Khan has financial levers at his disposal to punish the United States, too. Foreign donors, including the United States, will provide about development assistance of about $325 million this year, or about 30 percent of the province’s budget.Critics point out that Mr. Khan has financial levers at his disposal to punish the United States, too. Foreign donors, including the United States, will provide about development assistance of about $325 million this year, or about 30 percent of the province’s budget.
But the provincial finance minister, Sirajul Haq, ruled out sending that money back. “We don’t want to fight war with them,” Mr. Haq said in an interview. “The government will continue to honor its commitments with international donors.”But the provincial finance minister, Sirajul Haq, ruled out sending that money back. “We don’t want to fight war with them,” Mr. Haq said in an interview. “The government will continue to honor its commitments with international donors.”
The drones issue also contains potential financial stakes for Mr. Sharif’s federal government. During a trip to Washington last month, when Mr. Sharif met President Obama, the State Department said it was releasing $1.6 billion in aid that had been frozen during a previous confrontation, and would provide another $1 billion this coming year. The drones issue also contains potential financial stakes for Mr. Sharif’s federal government. During a trip to Washington last month, when Mr. Sharif met President Obama, the State Department said it was releasing $1.6 billion in aid that had been frozen during a previous confrontation, and would provide an additional $1 billion this coming year.
The Taliban leadership, meanwhile, is meeting at an undisclosed location in North Waziristan to choose a successor to Mr. Mehsud. A rival commander named Khan Said is the favorite, but no final decision has been made. The groups said Sunday that Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of their governing council, would lead the Taliban until a replacement was chosen. The Taliban leadership, meanwhile, is meeting at an undisclosed location in North Waziristan to choose a successor to Mr. Mehsud. A rival commander named Khan Said is the favorite, but no final decision has been made. The groups said Sunday that Asmatullah Shaheen Bhittani, the head of their governing council, would lead the Taliban until a replacement is chosen.

 Declan Walsh reported from London, and Ismail Khan from Peshawar, Pakistan.

Declan Walsh reported from London, and Ismail Khan from Peshawar, Pakistan.