Thousands To Block NATO Supply Line In Pakistan

Islamabad, Nov 23, IRNA – Thousands of political activists in northwest Pakistan are set to block NATO supply route against the US drone attacks later on Saturday. They will stage a sit-in on the main supply route in Peshawar, the capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), which rules the province, has announced to close the supply line for NATO troops in neighbouring Afghanistan as part of its anti-drones protest strategy. Imran Khan, who leads PTI, says the protest will continue unless the US stops drone strikes. Protest rallies outside the US 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 closed the main border point of Torkham with Afghanistan ahead of the protest over security concerns. It is one of the two main border points used for NATO supplies. Officials say nearly 70 percent of supplies for thousands of foreign 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 say 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. PTI chief will speak at the rally and will announce future protest strategy, organizers said. Activists of the Jamaat-e-Islami party, a coalition partner in the provincial government, will also join the protest. Processions from other areas of the country are on the way to Peshawar to make the show successful, PTI leaders said. The protest was planned after the November 1st 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 US of sabotaging the peace process with the Taliban. The US 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./end