There will no denying the fact that the people of United States has given a historic decision by electing Barack Obama as the President of their country. Tears of billions of people have pushed Obama to the highest post of the world. According to the people of tribal areas, the new administration must take tougher stand against the rulers of Pakistan. Rulers of Pakistan must be told in clear terms to fullfill their responsibility or leave the corridors of power.
Like many I am of the firm opinion that provision of security to the citizens is the responsibility of rulers. If the rulers cannot fullfill their responsiblity then they have no right to rule. People of tribal areas are also human beings and are the citizens of Pakistan, therefore, they have the right to enjoy all the rights as enjoyed by other people. Pakistani government either accept the people of tribal areas as full citizens of the country or it should announce that tribal areas are not the part of Pakistan. Those who have been providing shelter to terrorists in tribal areas and killing innocent people must be brought to the court of law.
The new Obama administration has cautioned Pakistan that it would be held accountable for security in the border region with Afghanistan and that its performance in the fight against terrorism would be linked to the financial aid to it.
“(President Barack) Obama and (Vice President Joe) Biden will increase non-military aid to Pakistan and hold them accountable for security in the border region with Afghanistan,” the White House said in its foreign policy agenda document released soon after Obama occupied the Oval office.
Biden, a known expert on Afghanistan and Pakistan, then in the capacity as the chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, had introduced legislation in the US Senate in this regard.
Co-authored jointly by the Republican Senator, Richard Lugar, the legislation proposes to triple non-military aid to Pakistan in the next five years. The legislation authorises $7.5 billion over five years in aid that can be used for development purposes, such as building schools, roads and clinics. The bill also calls for greater accountability on security assistance to improve Pakistani counterterrorism capabilities and ensure more effective efforts against the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
The foreign policy agenda of Obama administration on Pakistan is in tune with the well-known policies of Biden, which was also echoed by the Secretary of State-designate, Hillary Clinton, during her nomination hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee early this month.
President Barack Obama appears set to pursue a regional diplomatic strategy as much as a military one to prevent Afghanistan and Pakistan from turning into new havens for anti-US militants.
Despite his plans to send tens of thousands more troops to Afghanistan to boost stability, the Obama administration seems to be heeding expert advice that no military solution is possible over the long term. Hillary Clinton, Obama’s pick for secretary of state, last week omitted mention of the idea of a military victory.
Appearing before a Senate confirmation hearing, Clinton spoke instead of “employing a broad strategy in Afghanistan that reduces threats to our safety and enhances the prospects of stability and peace.
“We will use all the elements of our power — diplomacy, development, and defence — to work with those in Afghanistan and Pakistan who want to root out Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and other violent extremists,” Clinton said.
Acknowledging the need for broader support, Clinton said she was encouraged that the new Pakistani government understands that the extremists also threaten domestic stability, that “this is their fight, not just ours.” Francesc Vendrell, former European Union special representative for Afghanistan, told a conference here this month that a military solution was not possible in Afghanistan.
Source: thenews.com.pk
Muhammad Khurshid, a resident of Bajaur District, tribal areas situated on Pak-Afghan border is journalist by profession. He contributes articles and news stories to various online and print newspapers. His subject matter is terrorism. He is (more...)
